Jehovah’s Witnesses – La Vista Church of Christ

The False Teaching “Jehovah Witnesses”

Jeffrey Hamilton — Tue, 05 May 2026 17:03:18 +0000

by Samuel A. Matthews

“Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves” (Matthew 7:15 KJV).

Loved ones, the church which Christ established is the kingdom of God on the earth today. When Christ promised to build His church, He called it “the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 16:18-19). He did not refer to building a physical cathedral or a human hierarchy, but He referred to calling men out of sin and into Himself as the way of salvation. He referred to the spiritual kingdom of God, a spiritual fellowship with God that will continue forever in heaven.

The church of Christ began on Pentecost after His crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension to heaven. Peter preached on that day that Jesus is now seated on His throne at the right hand of God (Acts 2:29-36). About three thousand souls repented of their sins and were baptized that day (Acts 2:38-41). From that day forward, “the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved” (Acts 2:47). Through the gospel, God “hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son” (Colossians 1:13).

The kingdom of Christ is locked in battle with every false religion in a struggle to save men from the power of Satan. As one phase of this battle for the souls of men, the church of Christ is engaged in debate and controversy with the false “witnesses” who call themselves “Jehovah’s Witnesses.”

The Jehovah’s Witnesses are false witnesses for at least two reasons. First, the use they make of their name is false and fraudulent. They base this name on God's statement to the Jews, “Ye are my witnesses” (Isaiah 43:10). God called the Jews His witnesses because their history testified to the reality of the true and living God. God raised up prophets among them who told of past and future events in ways which are possible only by divine inspiration. God performed many miracles to guide the history of Israel in the Old Testament. In these ways, the Jews were God’s witnesses.

The modern religion called Jehovah’s Witnesses was established by Gentiles and has never produced an inspired prophecy or a miracle. In fact, they have published many books through the years, making false predictions about the end of the world. They are not true witnesses to God.

Second, the “witnesses” are false because they teach many false doctrines. By the inspiration of God, Paul warned about those who teach “another gospel,” which is a perverted gospel and not the original gospel. “But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed” (Galatians 1:6-9). A few of the false doctrines of the false “witnesses” are examined below.

The Nature of God

Like the Jews of old, the modern Jehovah’s Witnesses reject the deity of Christ as idolatry and blasphemy. They teach that “one God” means only one person in the Godhead. They recognize only the Father as God and reject the deity of Jesus Christ and of the Holy Spirit.
Acts 17:26 says that God made many nations from one blood. The meaning is that all men share the same humanity. There is one mankind, but many persons and nations. Genesis 2:24 says that in marriage, a man and a woman become “one flesh.” This one flesh includes two persons. In the same way, the Bible teaches there is one God, but three persons in the Godhead: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19; Ephesians 4:4-6).

The deity of Jesus Christ is the basis of our salvation. The theme of John’s record of the gospel is announced in the following words: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1). Two persons here share the very same divine nature as God: the Father is God or deity, and the Word is God or deity. The second person of the Godhead is called the Word to signify that He is the full expression of the will of the Godhead.

Jesus Christ will serve as the final judge of all men, a role belonging exclusively to God. The Father ordained this purpose in order “that all men should honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoreth not the Father which hath sent him” (John 5:22-23). The Father is honored as God or deity, and the Son must be honored in the same way.

God affirmed His eternal deity when He described Himself to Moses by saying, “I Am” (Exodus 3:14). When Jesus was here on earth, He affirmed His eternal deity when He described Himself in the very same words, saying, “Before Abraham was, I am” (John 8:58). On another occasion, He proclaimed His essential oneness with the Father as deity, saying, and “I and my Father are one.” The unbelieving Jews attempted to stone him for blasphemy, explaining, “because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God” (John 10:30-33). Jesus said His works or miracles confirmed His claims as the Son of God, i.e., as deity (John 10:38). Though the unbelieving Jews could not refute His claims or deny His miracles, they hardened their hearts and rejected Him.

The Jehovah’s Witnesses are false witnesses because they reject Christ as God or deity. They cannot refute His claims or deny His miracles, but they harden their hearts against Him. They say the Father, who is God, created Jesus as a little “god,” actually just a high angel. Their special Bible, The New World Translation, says in John 1:1, “The Word was a god.” The passage they use to get their name, Isaiah 43:10, says, “…Before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me.” God did not create “a god” named Jesus to be a high angel. No, Jesus Christ is divine; He is deity.

The Nature of Man

Jesus said, “God is a spirit,” and, “A spirit hath not flesh and bones” (John 4:24; Luke 24:39). Man is made in the image of God in regard to the spirit, not the fleshly body (Genesis 1:26). God is a spiritual being without a human body, and man is made in the image of God as a spiritual being. The difference is that the spirit of man dwells in a body. Death is the separation of the body and the spirit (James 2:26), but the spirit continues to exist and will be reunited with the body on the resurrection day.

The Bible teaches that the spirit (sometimes called the soul) of man will never cease to exist. The modern Jehovah’s Witnesses teach that the spirit or soul is only the breath and that man ceases to exist altogether when he dies. Jesus debated the Sadducees, who also denied that the spirit survives the death of the body. The Sadducees proposed a scenario in which a woman married seven brothers, one by one, after each died. They asked which husband she would have in the resurrection. Jesus said there will be no marriage in the resurrection, but then He addressed their root error.

Jesus affirmed that the spirit survives the death of the body by quoting what God said to Moses: “I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” Jesus said the necessary conclusion of God’s statement is that “God is not the God of the dead, but of the living” (Matthew 22:23-33). When God spoke to Moses, the three men He mentioned were long dead, but their spirits were still “living,” and God was still their God.

When Jacob died, he “was gathered unto his people,” i.e., unto Abraham and Isaac (Genesis 49:33). “His people” survived as spirits separate from the body, and Jacob survived death as a spirit separate from his body. The spirit of Jacob joined the spirits of Abraham and Isaac. The spirit survives the death of the body.

Modern Jehovah’s Witnesses harden their hearts against the obvious meaning of Genesis 49:33 and rationalize that Jacob’s body went to the grave like those before him, thus he “was gathered unto his people.” No, Jacob “was gathered unto his people” long before his body was buried. He was embalmed according to the custom of the Egyptians, a process requiring forty days, and then his body lay in state as the people mourned for him seventy days. Only “when the days of his mourning were past,” Joseph requested permission from Pharaoh to carry Jacob’s body to Canaan for burial (Geneis 50:1-6).

The spirit of Jacob “was gathered unto his people” long before his body was buried. This confirms that the spirit of man survives the death of the body.

The Nature of the Kingdom of God

The false “witnesses” teach that the kingdom of God does not yet exist but is still future. When it comes, they teach that it will exist on this earth as a perfect world government, i.e., a perfect civil government. The Jews of Jesus’ time were blinded by this same false concept, which led to their rejection of Christ because He never initiated a civil government. Jesus taught, “My kingdom is not of this world” (John 18:36).

Daniel 2:44 teaches that the kingdom of God would come in the time of the Roman Empire. Jesus lived in the time of Rome, and He began His preaching by proclaiming, “Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 4:17). He promised to build His church and called it “the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 16:18-19). Jesus promised the kingdom would come in the lifetime of His contemporaries, “Verily I say unto you, That there be some of them that stand here, which shall not taste of death, till they have seen the kingdom of God come with power” (Mark 9:1).

In an effort to escape the obvious meaning of Mark 9:1, modern Jehovah’s Witnesses claim that there are still some of the contemporaries of Christ alive on the earth today and that they will live to see the kingdom appear.

On the day of Pentecost after Jesus arose, Peter preached that Christ was seated “on His throne” at the right hand of God. “Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ” (Acts 2:29-36). Peter’s preaching called on men to repent of their sins and to receive forgiveness of them “in the name of Jesus Christ,” and the Lord “added to the church” those who obeyed (Acts 2:38, 47). The kingdom of God was established, and people entered it by obeying the gospel.
The kingdom of God on the earth today is the church of Christ. All who obey the gospel today are “delivered from the power of darkness” and “translated into the kingdom of His dear Son” (Colossians 1:13). By denying this truth, the modern Jehovah’s Witnesses prove themselves to be false “witnesses.”

The Nature of Our Reward

Loved ones, the modern Jehovah’s Witnesses teach that the reward of the faithful will be to live on the earth forever. The Bible teaches that the earth will be annihilated by fire. “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up” (II Peter 3:10).

The false “witnesses” try to escape the obvious meaning of II Peter 3:10 by claiming that the earth merely will be purified by fire, not destroyed. No, the universe will “pass away,” “melt,” and be “burned up.” They try another escape tactic by claiming “the heavens” and “the earth” are figurative language referring to wicked governments and false religions (which will be purified from the earth by fire). This dodge fails because verse five says “the heavens” and “the earth” were created by the word of God. Did God create wickedness, falsehood, and perversion? No. “The heavens” and “the earth” are literal, not figurative, in this context. God made the literal heavens and earth, and this literal universe will be annihilated by fire at the end of time.

There is no honest escape from the meaning of II Peter 3:10. The earth will pass away. It will not be the place of our reward.

The false “witnesses” try to escape the truth again by appealing to II Peter 3:13, which speaks of “new heavens and a new earth.” They try to make this refer to a renovation of the physical universe. Man’s dwelling place is the universe, including the earth and, above the earth, the sky, the atmosphere, and the place of the stars. Yes, the passage says we will have a new dwelling place, but where? Peter clarified this when he taught that our reward is “an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you” (I Peter 1:3-5). Our new dwelling place is “reserved in heaven.” There will be no renovated universe.

The Nature of Punishment

The modern Jehovah’s Witnesses teach that the spirit does not survive the death of the body, but man is completely annihilated by death. For them, the resurrection is actually the re-creation of all men after their total annihilation. According to their doctrine, the wicked will be cast into hell, which simply means they will be annihilated, again! Thus, there is no eternal torment of the wicked after the resurrection and judgment.

Jesus said, “Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him” (Luke 12:4-5). According to the theory of the false “witnesses,” when men kill us, we are annihilated, and when God casts us into hell, we are annihilated. Therefore, what God can do to us is identical to what man can do to us. These “witnesses” contradict Jesus, and Jesus contradicts these “witnesses” and identifies them as false.

Jesus is very clear about the nature of final punishment in hell. Jesus said the wicked will be “cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched, where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched” (Mark 9:43-44). Jesus pictured hell as conscious, eternal torment or punishment. Hell is likened unto fire, which causes intense pain. The fire will never be quenched because man, the object of the fire, will never cease to exist. A carcass is eaten by worms until it is consumed, and then the worm dies. If the worm never dies, it is because the carcass is never consumed. In other words, man will never be consumed in hell but will be punished forever.

Jesus taught that both the reward in heaven and the punishment in hell are eternal: “And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal” (Matthew 25:46). By denying the doctrine of conscious eternal torment, the modern Jehovah’s Witnesses identify themselves as false “witnesses.”

Conclusion: Help Them to Come Out of Darkness!

The modern Jehovah’s Witnesses have been taken captive by the power of darkness, by the kingdom of Satan. Their “kingdom hall” is “the synagogue of Satan” (Revelation 2:9). Though they are stubborn in their false doctrines, we must address those doctrines with the mighty power of the truth of the gospel. “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds” (II Corinthians 10:3-5). Error cannot withstand the power of truth.

Sometimes these false “witnesses” are angry when their errors are exposed. Let us be patient and continue to speak “the truth in love” (Ephesians 4:15). Let us ask, “Am I become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?” (Galatians 4:16).

To help these false “witnesses” escape the captivity of Satan, we must teach them to focus on the meaning of the death of Christ. He died as the Son of God, as deity in the flesh, in order to provide a perfect sacrifice for our sins (John 3:16; Romans 5:6-8; Hebrews 10:9-12). One who is greater than Moses and all the prophets, one who is greater than the angels, died for our sins. “But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom” (Hebrews 1:8). The Son, who rules in His kingdom today, is called God by the Father! There could be no greater sacrifice for our sins than the Son of God.

We must teach them the simple plan of God by which we are “delivered from the power of death” and “translated into the kingdom of his dear Son” (Colossians 1:13). Jesus gave the Great Commission so that the gospel will be preached to every person in all the world. “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved…” (Mark 16:15-16). Peter began to preach this message, which we must preach and obey today: “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls” (Acts 2:38-41).

The false “witnesses” hold mass baptisms after many months of training and waiting, but the true gospel of Christ calls upon sinners to be baptized and to receive salvation from sin immediately when they hear and understand the gospel message. When men understand the message of salvation, the gospel urges them to obey “the same day,” even “the same hour of the night” (Acts 2:41; 16:33). Ananias commanded Saul, “And now why tarriest thou? Arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord” (Acts 22:16). Let us urgently teach men to come out of sin, error, and darkness of every kind and to obey the gospel today.

To be “translated into the kingdom of his dear Son” is to obey the gospel and to be added to the church of Christ by God (Colossians 1:13; Acts 2:47). The false “witnesses” are taught that the kingdom has not yet come, but we must teach them that the kingdom is here and that it is the New Testament church. God is inviting all men to become full citizens of it by obeying the gospel of Christ. “And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely” (Revelation 22:17).

Christ is going to come again to deliver His kingdom to the Father in heaven, where we will live with God forever (I Corinthians 15:24). On that day, all false religions will fall, and all of their followers will be lost forever in hell. Let the call of the gospel be heard like a trumpet: “For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (II Corinthians 6:2).

After Saul of Tarsus was baptized into Christ, he took the gospel to the unbelieving Jews who had been his companions. He preached Christ, “that he is the Son of God. Saul increased the more in strength, and confounded the Jews which dwelt at Damascus, proving that this is very Christ” (Acts 9:20-22). As urgently as Saul, let the people of God today take the message of salvation to all the world, even to those who are in bondage as false “witnesses.”

Let us increase the more in strength, and confound the false “witnesses” by proving that Christ is deity, proving that the spirit of man survives the death of the body, proving that the church of Christ is the kingdom of God, proving that heaven is the reward of the righteous, and proving that hell is eternal torment. In this way, we will call them out of darkness and into the kingdom of the Son of God.

The God of Heaven and Earth is so good, and His love reaches all. Through the free gift of God’s grace by Jesus’ blood (Ephesians 2:8; Revelation 1:5) and your obedient faith (Romans 1:5; 10:17; 16:26), salvation is offered. If you have Bible questions or wish to comment on this post, please do so. Lord willing, a Bible answer will be provided for every Bible question.
The churches of Christ are neither Catholic, Protestant, nor Jew (Romans 16:16; Matthew 16:18-19). We are the loving suffering one body of Christ (Ephesians 1:20-23; 4:4-6) – Christians: “Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf” (I Peter 4:16; cf. Acts 11:26; 26:28).

We love you with the love of the Lord (John 13:34-35).

Why I Left the Jehovah’s Witnesses Organization

Jeffrey Hamilton — Thu, 16 Apr 2026 21:48:31 +0000

by Leon Kennedy
via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 21 No. 1, March 1995

I have left a human religious organization, but I have not left Jesus Christ. I am just a Christian now, a member of Christ’s church. Jesus is my Savior, who is the only Savior of mankind (Luke 2:11).

I would like to sincerely say that I have no personal hard feelings against the Jehovah’s Witnesses. Many are very dedicated to their religion. Yet, several of them teach one way and live another! As a child of God (Ephesians 5:1), I respect their right to believe in the Bible as they choose and to work out their own salvation. God respects the right of our own free will. However, I realize we will be held accountable for what we believe and practice, according to God’s Word. We must be honest and earnest enough to make our calling and election sure (II Peter 1:10). This means we must be willing to change when we see we are wrong, in light of God’s truth. I hope this article might help those who have been led astray by their erroneous teaching.

Some Things I Saw Wrong with the Beliefs of Jehovah's Witnesses

Wrong Source of Authority

The greatest contributor to religious division, I think, is the lack of complete respect for God’s Word. It must be the only religious authority by which men should live to please God. We can go to heaven only if we abide in Christ’s pure Word (John 8:31-32), which means we must only obey God’s will as revealed in the Bible (Matthew 7:21). Lawlessness (going outside God’s law) is condemned, even by seemingly sincere religious folk (Matthew 7:22-23).

At a dedication baptism of the Jehovah’s Witnesses, I wondered why the Witnesses seem to put more trust in humanly written Watchtower publications of tracts, pamphlets, and books than in God’s Word. The Word alone is powerful enough to convict and convert the sinner. "For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart" (Hebrews 4:12 NASB). God’s Word alone is sufficient to guide and sanctify the Christian. Jesus prayed to the Father, "‘Sanctify them in the truth; thy word is truth״ (John 17:17 NASB).

The Witnesses believe in the Watchtower because they erroneously think that it is the faithful servant who gives food to the other servants in Matthew 24:45-47: ״Who then is the faithful and sensible slave whom his master put in charge of his household to give them their food at the proper time? Blessed is that slave whom his master finds so doing when he comes. Truly I say to you, that he will put him in charge of all his possessions." Jesus had been speaking about His return, which would be unexpected. To illustrate the need to be ready and busy doing your duty in the meantime, Jesus uses an illustration of two servants, one faithful and the other evil and lazy. All Jesus is teaching here is that each servant of His should be busy doing his assigned work. Faithful discharge of your duty is rewarded with a higher place of responsibility. The evil servant is unconcerned and slothful in view of His master’s return. He is caught unawares and is punished for slacking off. So, there is no religious organization over others in this verse. That is reading too much into the Bible.

Denial of the New Birth

The Jehovah’s Witnesses do not believe what the Bible says about being born again. "Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God’" (John 3:3 NASB). The new birth is ״of water and the Spirit" (John 3:5). It is a spiritual birth of a spiritual seed (I Peter 1:23) revealed by the Spirit, which happens when a penitent believer is immersed in water for the forgiveness of sins. Despite what the Bible says in Acts 22:16, they do not believe that baptism washes away sins (Make All Things Sure, p. 30). The old man of sin is buried in a watery grave, and the new babe in Christ emerges from the water (Romans 6:4). We must be born again, or regenerated by God, to live above a life of habitual sin. The apostle John tells Christians, "No one who is born of God practices sin because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God" (I John 3:9). This applies to all who would be true Christians.

Denial of the Godhead

They deny the full Deity of Jesus, as well as the personality and Deity of the Spirit. "Never was there a more deceptive doctrine advanced than that of the trinity. It could only have originated in one mind, and that of the mind of Satan" (Reconciliation, p. 101).

Concerning the Son of God, they say, "When Jesus was on the earth, he was a perfect man, nothing more and nothing less....Jesus was not Cod the Son' Reconciliation, p. Ill, 113). Although I know that the Bible says Jesus was fully human like us (Hebrews 2:17),
I also read Paul's statement that He was also fully God: "For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form" (Colossians 2:9). Jesus was the agent that brought all created things into being, so He could not have been a created being (Colossians 1:15-17; John 1:2-3). Jesus accepted worship, which a mere man should not do, because such is reserved for Deity׳ alone (Matthew 14:23; John 5:23; Revelation 22:8-9). Jesus claimed the divine designation, I AM, from Exodus 3:i4 of Jehovah God for Himself (John 8:58). He also claimed to be one in essence and nature with the Father (John 10:30). The Jews understood the meaning of this claim to Deity They accused Jesus of blasphemy and said, "You, being a man, make Yourself out to be God" (Jn. 10:33). Thomas, when he saw Jesus in His resurrected glory, exclaimed, "My Lord and My God!" (John 20:28;. Jesus is part of the Godhead or one divine family, because we are baptized into the Name (singular of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19).

The Jehovah’s Witnesses also say that the Holy Spirit is merely "God’s active force" (The Truth That Leads to Eternal Life, p 24). "The holy spirit is not a person and is therefore not one of the gods of the trinity" (Reconciliation, p. 115). Yet, I read in my Bible that Jesus refers to the Holy Spirit by the masculine personal pronoun "he," not "it" (John 16:13-16). He has the traits of personality because He has a mind (I Corinthians 2:10-11), and He can be lied to (Acts 5:3), blasphemed against (Matthew 12:31), grieved (Ephesians 4:30) and insulted (Hebrews 10:29). He also shows He is a person because He speaks (John 15:26), intercedes (Romans 8:26), wills (I Corinthians 12:11) and loves (Romans 15:30). The Spirit is God (Acts 5:3-4). He is eternal (Hebrews 9:14), all-knowing (I Corinthians 2:10-11), all-present (Psalms 139:7), all-wise (Isaiah 40:13), and all-powerful (Genesis 1:2; Luke 1:35). He is equally associated with the Father and the Son in the Godhead (I Corinthians 12:13; Matthew 28:19).

Denial of Christ’s Bodily Resurrection

They say, "Jesus was put to death in the flesh and was resurrected as an invisible spirit creature" (Let God Be True, p. 138); and also, "Somewhere Jehovah miraculously preserved that body" (Deliverance, p. 170). They compare Jesus’ body with the body of Moses, whose body was buried no man knows where (The Truth Shall Make You Free, p. 264).

Yet, I read Jesus’ promise concerning His physical body: "Jesus answered and said to them, 'Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up' ... He was speaking of the temple of His body" (John 2:19,21). The Jehovah’s Witnesses make Jesus a liar concerning His prophecy about His bodily resurrection. The angel at the empty tomb told the women, "Do not be amazed; you are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who has been crucified. He has risen; He is not here; behold, here is the place where they laid Him. But go, tell His disciples and Peter, ’He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, just as He said to you’" (Mark 16:6-7). Jesus appeared in His transformed physical body to His disciples (Luke 24:37-43). His body bore the physical marks of crucifixion (John 20:25,27). The disciples were qualified to be eyewitnesses to the resurrection (Acts 10:40-41). Denial of Jesus’ bodily resurrection is denying a fundamental fact of the gospel (I Corinthians 15:1-6).

Denial of Hell

They also deny the reality of hell as a place of eternal punishment, because they say such a place would make God too cruel. "The doctrine of eternal torment in hell is another one of Satan’s vicious lies" (Enemies, p. 127).

Just as there is both God and the devil, how could there be a heaven without hell? In the great Sermon on the Mount, Jesus warned us about the danger of hell, if we take God’s place of judgment in angrily calling a brother a fool (Matthew 5:22). He spoke of the coming baptism of fire, which is the fate of those who reject Him (Luke 3:16). He also says, "And do not fear those who kill the body, but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him [Jehovah God] who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell" (Matthew 10:28). This punishment will exist just as long as the reward of the faithful, which is eternal (Matthew 25:46). Impenitent wrong doers and the self-righteous will be cast into hell, where there is weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 8:12; 13:42).

Confusion of Physical and Spiritual Death

The Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that the apostle Paul is talking about a physical, not spiritual, death in Romans 6:7: "for he who has died is freed from sin." They think that when you physically die as a sinner, you have paid the penalty for your sins. Therefore, you will not be judged by the sins you have committed in this life, but you will only be judged by what you do during the millennium. However, this verse is talking about a new Christian who has died (has been separated from) the old, sinful life.

Jesus taught that dying in your sins carries the penalty of spiritual death in hell. In Matthew’s account of the Judgment Day, Jesus condemns those who failed to help others (Matthew 25:41-46). He sentences them with these words: "Then He will also say to those on His left, ’Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire that has been prepared for the devil and his angels’... And these will go away into eternal punishment" (Matthew 25:41,46). The spiritual punishment of Hell is called "the second death" (Revelation 20:14).

A Lack of Benevolence

In my experience, they are not benevolent to help others. Practically all their money goes to support the Watchtower. This is the main reason I left that organization: their lack of benevolence, even towards a fellow member. Such goes against clear Bible teaching. The apostle John asks an extremely important question: "But whoever has the world’s goods, and beholds his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him?" (I John 3:17). All people who claim to be in Christ must put on Christ. Paul states, "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head" (Romans 12:20). This is probably one of the most difficult verses in the Bible for a Christian to live by, but we must try! Jesus taught us, in the parable of the Good Samaritan, that our neighbor is anyone whom I can help at their point of need (Luke 10:30-37). We should never grow weary of doing good, helpful things for others. This includes our enemies and even our brethren! If the Bible commands us to love and help an enemy, how much more should we love and help our brethren? We should be filled with love and mercy, especially toward each other. Each of us has our individual obligation to fulfill, and not pay lip-service to, Galatians 6:10: "So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all men, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith."

Binding Human Rules

The Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that when a member of that organization is dating, they should always have a chaperone on the date, no matter how spiritually mature they may be. I was told that I could not sit next to another single woman in the assembly unless we were dating. Another told me I had to be married to the woman I wanted to sit next to at assembly!

When Christians are mature, they should be trusted by other Christians. Paul had been entrusted with the gospel (Titus 1:3). What does dating have to do with being entrusted with the gospel? If God trusted Paul enough with such a precious thing as the gospel, should we not be trusting enough of other mature Christians that they will behave as such in private or public?

Happily, as true Christians, we know that God and His word never change (Malachi 3:6; Matthew 24:35; I Peter 1:23). Because of the opinions of men, there are too many errors and contradictions in this organization. Instead of looking to the teachings and traditions of men, we must look to our unchanging God who bestows every good gift to us (James 1:17). The truth of Christ is the only standard of faith and practice (John 12:48). It alone can make us free from sin and error. Human doctrines cannot make us free (John 8:31-32). We must look to and be faithful to Jesus, and not to the movements of men. "Who are you to judge the servant of another? To his own master he stands or falls; and stand he will, for the Lord is able to make him stand" (Romans 14:4).

False Teachings of Jehovah’s Witnesses

Jeffrey Hamilton — Fri, 30 Jan 2026 03:29:03 +0000

by Jon Gary Williams

They speak of Christ, the soul, hell, the resurrection, and other fundamental biblical ideas. But what they espouse regarding these and other biblical terms does not align with what the Bible teaches.

Has a Jehovah’s Witness ever knocked on your door? If not, someday they will. Are you aware of what they teach? Did you know they reject most fundamental Bible doctrines? Did you know they espouse a religious philosophy completely foreign to the Bible?

The Jehovah’s Witness religion, once known as Zion’s Watchtower Tract Society, now known as Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania, may seem like just another of the many religious groups around us. After all, don’t they claim to follow the Bible and believe in Christ? A closer look shows us that what we see on the surface is not at all what we discover upon further investigation.

Indeed, many unsuspecting people have been misled by the subtle, deceptive nature of “Jehovah’s Witness” tactics. Yes, they speak of Christ, the soul, hell, the resurrection, and other fundamental Biblical ideas. But what they espouse regarding these and other Biblical terms does not align with what the Bible teaches.

The Jehovah’s Witness religion contains an insidious system of doctrines of which people need to be informed. What exactly do they teach? The following are some of the better-known teachings of the Jehovah’s Witness religion, along with comparisons to what the Scriptures teach.

They teach that man has no immortal soul, that the soul is only man’s “breath,” and that when man dies, there is nothing which lives on.
The Bible teaches:
- There is something which lives after death (Matthew 10:28; II Corinthians 5:8-9),
- The soul departs the body at death (Genesis 35:18).
They teach that Christ is not eternal and not part of the Godhead, but was created in the same way the angels were.
The Bible teaches:
- Christ is eternal (Revelation 1:17; 22:13).
- Christ is God, a part of the Godhead (John 1:1,14; 20:28; Matthew 1:23; Colossians 2:9).
They teach that Christ’s body was not actually raised but was raised only in “spirit form.”
The Bible teaches:
- Christ expressly said He was not in a spirit form (Luke 24:39).
- To reject the resurrection of Christ creates a hopeless religion (I Corinthians 15:14-15).
They teach that Christ has already returned, but he did so secretly and unseen.
The Bible teaches:
- Every eye shall see him at his return (Revelation 1:7).
- He will come with sound, angels and flaming fire (I Thessalonians 4:16; II Thessalonians 1:7-8).
They teach that there is no real hell, but that hell is only the grave.
The Bible teaches:
- There is punishment beyond the grave (Matthew 10:28; Luke 12:4-5).
- Punishment is eternal (Matthew 25:41,46; Mark 9:44,47).
They teach that the earth will never be destroyed.
The Bible teaches:
- The earth will someday pass away (Matthew 5:18).
- The earth will be burned up (II Peter 3:10).
They teach that only 144,000 people will enter heaven.
The Bible teaches:
- Christ will deliver his entire kingdom up to God (I Corinthians 15:24).
- All who do God’s commands will enter into Heaven (Revelation 22:14).
- The water of life, flowing from God’s throne, is for “whosoever will” (Revelation 22:1,17).
They teach that submitting to blood transfusion is sinful.
The Bible teaches:
- The eating of blood is condemned (Genesis 9:4; Leviticus 7:27).
- God’s word does not prohibit the transfusion of blood to save or support life.
They teach that man is not saved through baptism.
The Bible teaches:
- Baptism is for the “remission of sins” (Acts 2:38).
- Baptism saves (Mark 16:16; I Peter 3:21).
- In baptism, sins are washed away (Acts 22:16).
- In baptism, people put on Christ (Romans 6:3; Galatians 3:27).

Views of Heaven

Jeffrey Hamilton — Sun, 25 Jan 2026 18:08:14 +0000

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Views-of-Heaven.mp3

by Jeffrey W. Hamilton

Download Audio

Text: Revelation 21:1-4

I. Most cultures have some view of an afterlife

A. It is a logical conclusion. Either there is an afterlife or there is not.

1. If there is no afterlife, then life becomes meaningless. There is no reason to go through hardship and suffering. There is no reason to live nobly.

2. If there is an afterlife, what is it like?

a. Is it endless bliss for all? Then why live righteously?

b. Is it endless suffering for all? Then again, why live righteously?

c. If there are two destinies, then there is incentive to live to reach the blessed side.

B. We see belief in the afterlife in history

1. The Egyptians saw the afterlife as a continuation of their current life, if one was judged worthy. The preserving of the body was so that the soul after death could have a body. Items were placed in the tomb so the soul had wealth and slaves. Failure meant annihilation.

2. The Greeks saw the afterlife as a gloom, shadowy existence under the earth for everyone. The shades living there were seen as sorrowful and forgetful. A few heroes were granted the right to go to the Isles of the Blessed, but this wasn’t based on morality. It was seen as a divine favor. Yet, even here, the souls preferred life on earth to where they were.

3. The native Americans had their happy hunting ground

II. The biblical view

A. The patriarchs knew of life after death - Job 3:11-19

B. Even children lived on, as David knew - II Samuel 12:23

C. It is through the gospel that life and immortality are brought to light - II Timothy 1:10

D. Here we learn that the patriarchs of faith saw life on earth as temporary and they looked for a better place - Hebrews 11:9-16

E. Moses knew there was a greater reward that made hardships on earth insignificant - Hebrews 11:24-26

F. Those enduring the hardship would receive a greater reward - Matthew 5:11-12

G. How we live our lives affect our lives to come - Matthew 6:19-21

H. A place is being prepared for the faithful - John 14:1-4

I. Our home country is heaven - Philippians 3:20-21

J. It is for the saved - I Peter 1:3-5

K. The saved will dwell with God - Revelation 21:3; 22:3-4

L. There is no sun or night to mark the days. God is its light - Revelation 22:5

III. The Muslim’s view

A. One author described it as a “bedroom” heaven. It is described as a place where every wish or desire is fulfilled.

1. “A sensual paradise, with blooming gardens, fresh fountains, and an abundance of beautiful virgins” [Phillip Schaff, 1894]

2. “As to the various felicities which await the pious (and of which there are about a hundred degrees), they are a wild conglomeration of Jewish, Christian, Magian, and other fancies on the subject to which the Prophet’s own exceedingly sensual imagination has added very considerably. Feasting in the most gorgeous and delicious variety, the most costly and brilliant garments, odors and music of the most ravishing nature, and above all, the enjoyment of the Hur Al-Oyun, the black-eyed daughters of paradise, created of pure musk, and free from all the bodily weaknesses of the female sex, are held out as a reward to the commonest inhabitants of paradise, who will always remain in the full vigor of their youth and manhood” [McClintock and Strong, 1969].

3. “The Qur’an basically pictures heaven in terms of the life of seventh-century Arabia’s wealthiest nobles, men who enjoyed lavish feasts in lush private gardens, in the region’s richest oases. Being poor, most of Muhammad’s early followers only dreamt of such a life. Hence, this vision of the super-rich lifestyle, taken to the nth degree, had strong appeal to them. The Qur’an describes believers feasting in heaven amidst the richest of fabrics and furnishings, and of rivers flowing with not just fresh water—extremely scarce in the region—but also with milk, honey and wine” [Mark Anderson, “Muslim Views of Heaven,” Zwemer Center for Muslim Studies].

4. “Being firmly committed to the idea of physical resurrection, the Qur’an pictures believers enjoying consummate physical pleasure. Since we’re sexual beings, God’s provisions include everything believers need to be perfectly happy.” [Mark Anderson, “Muslim Views of Heaven,” Zwemer Center for Muslim Studies].

B. Women have a separate place since “they are not of a prominently spiritual nature,” and could not enjoy the male environment.

1. They believe the majority in hell are women due to their ingratitude toward their husbands.

2. “What about the reward of female believers in paradise? Judging by the fact that it says little about the topic, the Qur’an seems to have little interest in it:

a. It makes a few general statements to assure women that, being equally responsible to obey God, they’ll be rewarded along with their men (e.g. Q 4:124, 33:35).

b. But it otherwise pictures them only in relation to male believers, who will have their wives and children with them. (Q 36:56).

c. It never promises female believers sexual pleasure equivalent to that of their men, nor would any woman in Muhammad’s audience ever have expected such equality.

d. Indeed, the idea that women would have multiple heavenly male partners would have been as offensive to Muslims in Muhammad’s day, as today.

e. The Qur’an says nothing about how their husbands’ abundant sexual activity will affect their wives.” [Mark Anderson, “Muslim Views of Heaven,” Zwemer Center for Muslim Studies]

C. “God is presented as the believers’ host in paradise, with the best of those admitted favored with a vision of him. In qur’anic terms, they’re allowed to glimpse his face (Q 2:272, 13:22, 30:38-39, 56:11, 75:22-23, 83:24, 28). This joy is reserved for only some, however, and it suggests neither the intimacy of personal friendship with God nor of union with God.” [Mark Anderson, “Muslim Views of Heaven,” Zwemer Center for Muslim Studies].

IV. The Mormon view

A. Joseph Smith claimed there are three heavenly realms

1. The Celestial realm is blessed by the presence of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It is reserved for the faithful who accept the fullness of the Mormon belief, those who would have accepted it if they had been given the opportunity, children who had not each an age to accountable for their actions, and those who entered the covenant of “celestial marriage.” Eventually, all of these can eventually evolve into gods.

2. The Terrestrial realm is blessed by the presence of the Son and the Holy Spirit. It is for those who reject the Mormon belief, but are still morally good. It is also for those who had accepted the gospel but did not remain faithful and those who had “benefitted” from the baptism of the dead” (post-mortem salvation). Also, it includes those who never were exposed to the truth.

3. The Telestial realm (a made-up word) is for those who reject the Mormon gospel, liars, murderers, adulterers, and whoremongers. These experience the fires of hell but will be rescued from torment when Christ finishes his work. In other words, this is modeled after the Roman Catholic idea of pergatory. Only the Holy Spirit visits this place.

4. Only Satan, his angels, and those who commit the unpardonable sin are left in the Telestial realm.

V. The Jehovah’s Witnesses view

A. The Jehovah’s Witnesses concluded “the final number of the heavenly church will be 144,000, according to God’s decree” [Let God Be True, p. 113, 1946].

B. The rest of humanity will live on God’s glorified earth.

C. This idea is actually not unique to the Jehovah’s Witnesses. It was popular in the late 1800s

D. Commonly sited passages:

1. Isaiah 65:17

a. But notice that Isaiah 65:20 says people still die.

b. And people are still working and having children - Isaiah 65:23

c. Jesus said in heaven there is no marriage - Matthew 22:30

d. This is talking about a new order: the age of the church

2. Isaiah 66:22

a. Notice that Isaiah 66:20 talks about God’s holy mountain (Isaiah 2:2-4), which is a reference to the church.

b. There is still death - Isaiah 66:24

c. There is still a moon and a counting of days - Isaiah 66:23

d. This is again symbolically talking about the new age when the church is established.

3. II Peter 3:13

a. It cannot be this present world - II Peter 3:10-12

b. This is referring to another new order: life in heaven

4. Revelation 21:1

a. Again, it says the current earth passed away

b. This again is referring to heaven symbolically

VI. The Atheist’s view

A. They deny that there is any after life, and thus, there is no heavn.

B. Death is merely a mechanical process. The brain stops functioning, and your existence ends.

C. But have you notice that we have funerals and cemeteries for loved ones, but not for cars?

D. If there is nothing after death, what is the difference between a mass murderer and an exterminator eliminating bugs?

VII. The Scriptures present a view of heaven that no other religion offers

A. No longer are we separated from God.

B. No longer are we under the curse that Adam brought upon the world

C. Revelation 21:22-27

D. Do you want to go home? You can’t reach heaven while remaining in sin.

Based on “A Study of Heaven” by Wayne Jackson

Heaven on Earth? No!

Jeffrey Hamilton — Mon, 18 Aug 2025 18:56:32 +0000

by Garland M. Robinson

Where will the redeemed be in eternity when this life is over? The Bible teaches they will go to be with the Lord in heaven (John 14:1-3). Yet, some are saying the heaven we’ve always hoped for does not exist —that it’s not going to be in heaven above (God’s dwelling place), but it’s going to be on earth below (man’s dwelling place). They imagine that God’s sole purpose through the ages has been to restore this sin-cursed earth to its original condition (like that of Adam and Eve) and that man will live upon a “refurbished” and “renovated” earth forever. They call this “reversing the curse.” But, according to inspiration, Peter wrote that this world, including everything God made and everything man made, will “pass away,” be “burned up,” “melt,” “dissolved,” and be gone! (II Peter 3:10-13).

It’s a false doctrine that says the redeemed have no hope of going to that realm beyond this world called heaven. Instead, this false doctrine teaches that God will leave His throne in Heaven and come down to live with the redeemed “on a refurbished earth.” Sad indeed, but some of our own brethren are teaching and preaching that at the Judgment, Heaven will not be in eternity where God dwells, but will be on this Earth where man dwells. That God will come down from heaven and live with man on the earth, to them, is a very appealing and comforting doctrine!

Though this doctrine may be new to many, it’s not new. It’s been around for a long, long time. It raises its ugly head now and then and is always put down by faithful brethren. Then another group arises, considering they’ve “dug deep” in the Bible and have found a new gem that has never been discovered before.

“Heaven on Earth” is a doctrine rooted in materialism. Materialism prioritizes physical, tangible, and material things over spiritual ones. Its core belief is that “substance is everything” —this world is everything.

Jehovah’s Witnesses have held onto materialism for their entire existence (a little more than 140 years). They also teach that eternal life will be on earth. Jehovah’s Witness doctrine says there is a heaven above, but that it’s already full (holding only 144,000). The rest of the saved will live on a refurbished Earth for eternity.

Anyone reading through the Bible, in even the most casual manner, would never get the idea that eternal life will be on this earth (unless that’s what you're looking for)! One needs help to see this idea in the Bible! And, sadly, there are many who stand ready to help.

Notice what Jesus said and taught about heaven...

Heaven is where God the Father is —His dwelling place. Jesus spoke of God, His father, “which is in heaven” at least 7 times. “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 7:21; cf. 10:32-33; 12:50; 16:17; 18:10,19).

Jesus spoke of God as our Father or your Father, which is in heaven, at least 14 times. “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your father which is in heaven.” “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect” (Matthew 5:16, 45, 48; 6:1, 14, 26, 32; 7:11; 18:14, 35; 23:9; Mark 11:25-26; Luke 11:13).

Heaven is God’s Throne and Christ’s Throne. This is mentioned at least 9 times in the New Testament. ”Heaven...is God’s throne” (Matthew 5:34). ”Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool” (Acts 7:49). “When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory” (Matthew 25:31). “But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever...” (Hebrews 1:8. Matthew 23:22; Revelation 4:2; 5:13; 16:17; 20:11).

The earth is God’s footstool, not his throne. “Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord: or what is the place of my rest” (Acts 7:49; cf. Isaiah 66:1). God cannot be confined to a physical house or place of rest like the earth —that’s ridiculous. At the dedication of the temple, Solomon said, “...will God indeed dwell on the earth? behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house that I have builded” (I Kings 8:27)? He prays to God in I Kings 8:30, “...hearken thou to the supplication of thy servant, and of thy people Israel, when they shall pray toward this place: and hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place: and when thou hearest, forgive.” Heaven on Earth doctrine takes God off His throne in heaven and brings Him down to earth to sit on his floor mat.

Jesus cannot be a King or Priest on earth. It is impossible for Jesus to ever occupy a throne on earth. Zechariah 6:12-13 speaks of the reign of the Messiah, saying: “...he shall build the temple of the LORD; ...and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest upon his throne.” Hebrews 8:1-4 says He can’t be a priest on earth. And, since he can’t be a priest on earth, he can’t be a king on earth because Zechariah says he will be both a king and priest at the same time. Also, Jeremiah 22:28-30 forbids the Lord Jesus from ever reigning on the throne in Judah (Zion). Coniah, king of Judah, was so corrupt that we read in Jeremiah 22:30: “Thus saith the LORD, Write ye this man childless, a man that shall not prosper in his days: for no man of his seed shall prosper, sitting upon the throne of David, and ruling any more in Judah.” Jesus is a descendant by adoption of Coniah (Jeconiah, Jehoichin), mentioned in the Gospel of Matthew as Jechonias (Matthew 1:11-12). He can’t be king on earth!

The Scriptures always speak of heaven being “up” —at least 18 times. “So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God” (Mark 16:19; cf. Matthew 14:19; Mark 6:41; 7:34; Luke 9:16; 18:13; 24:51; John 1:51; 3:13, 31; 17:1; Acts 1:10-11; 2:34; 7:55-56; 11:10; Romans 10:6).

The Scriptures always speak of coming “down from” heaven —at least 20 times. “For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me” (John 6:38; cf. Luke 9:54; John 1:51; 3:15; 6:33, 38, 41-42, 50-51, 58; Acts 11:5; Romans 10:6; I Peter 1:12; Revelation 3:12; 10:1; 13:13; 18:1; 20:1; 21:2).

The expression “from heaven” is used more than 45 times in the New Testament. The point is, heaven is not earth. Earth is not heaven. They are two separate and distinct places. “The baptism of John, whence was it? From heaven, or of men” (Matthew 21:25; cf. Matthew 16:1; 28:2; Mark 8:11; 11:30,31; Luke 11:16; 17:29; 20:4-5; 22:43; John 1:32; 3:13, 27, 31; 6:32-33,38, 41-42, 50-51, 58; Acts 11:5,9; Romans 1:18; I Corinthians 15:47; II Corinthians 5:2; Galatians 1:8; I Thessalonians 1:10; 4:16; II Thessalonians 1:7; Hebrews 12:25; I Peter 1:12; II Peter 1:18; Revelation 10:1, 4, 8; 11:12; 13:13; 14:2,13; 18:1, 4; 20:1).

God speaks “from” his lofty place “in” heaven —at least 6 times. “And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Mark 1:11; cf. Matthew 3:17; Luke 3:22; John 12:28; Acts 10:15; Deuteronomy 4:36; 30:11-14).

We “pray” to God who is “in” heaven. Jesus taught his disciples, “After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name” (Matthew 6:9). Jesus said, “...When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name” (Luke 11:2). God told Solomon, “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land” (II Chronicles 7:14; cf. Psalms 20:6; I Kings 8:30-32, 34, 36, 39, 43, 45, 49).

The angels of God are “in” heaven —found at least 12 times. “For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven” (Matthew 22:30). “For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are as the angels which are in heaven” (Mark 12:25). See also Matthew 18:10; 24:36; 28:2; Mark 13:32; Luke 2:15; John 1:51; Galatians 1:8; II Thessalonians 1:7; Revelation 8:13; 12:7).

Our reward is “in” heaven. Found at least 9 times. “Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven...” (Matthew 5:12; cf. Luke 6:23). He did not say our reward is great “on earth,” he said our reward is great “in heaven.” Jesus said, ”Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also” (Matthew 6:19-21). If heaven is going to be on earth, then Jesus missed a great opportunity here to tell us. But he didn’t miss the opportunity; he told the truth about our eternal reward — heaven is not going to be on earth. He knew there would be a false doctrine that would arise, teaching that heaven would be on the renovated earth, so he drove a death-knell through its heart in these verses. Our hearts must be focused on heaven, not on the earth (Colossians 3:1-2). Also, Paul wrote the church at Corinth, saying, “For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens” (II Corinthians 5:1, it’s not on earth in this verse). Our physical (earthly) body will be changed into a spiritual (heavenly) body, and we will be with God “in the heavens,” not on the earth. (See also Mark 10:21; 12:33; Luke 18:22; II Corinthians 5:1-2).

Heaven and earth are different places. Jesus told the apostles, “I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven” (Matthew 16:19; 18:18). God did not allow the apostles to make their own laws (bind on earth) and then he would honor it in heaven (bind it in heaven). The point is, whatever they “bind on earth” will have already been “bound in heaven.” When the apostles spoke and wrote, they did so by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit (II Peter 1:21; II Timothy 3:16-17).

The emphasis we’re calling attention to is that “heaven” and “earth” are two different places. God dwells in heaven above, and we dwell on the earth below. I Corinthians 15:47-49 says, “The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven.” See also Matthew 28:18; Mark 11:30; Luke 10:20; 20:4; Acts 4:24; 14:15; 17:24; Ephesians 1:10; 3:15.

II Peter 3 and New Creation Theology

Jeffrey Hamilton — Wed, 01 Jan 2025 19:49:53 +0000

by Chris Reeves
via Unmasking Sophistry, Vol. 5, No. 1, January-March 2025

Peter's words in II Peter 3 are being used today to teach that the righteous will come back after the judgment day and live on a renovated earth for all eternity. Jehovah's Witnesses have used II Peter 3 this way for many years. More recently, those who advocate New Creation Theology (NCT) have also used Peter's words similarly. Some brethren are even now beginning to use II Peter 3 this way. Simply put, will the earth one day be renovated, or will it be annihilated? Let us turn our attention to some of the arguments in favor of renovation with a biblical refutation of each one.

Argument # 1:

God's destruction of the world with water in the past is "parallel" to his destruction of the world with fire in the future. The water of the flood in Noah's day is a "type/antitype" of the fire God will use at the end of time. Just as the water that God used in the flood did not completely annihilate the earth, so the fire will not completely annihilate the earth at the end of time.

Answer:

First, we should not speak of things "parallel" to the flood without Peter telling us that they are parallel. We should not say, for example, that the flood is a "type/antitype" of the fire unless Peter uses that language (see I Peter 3:21). Anyone can come up with "types" and things that are "parallel" between the flood and the end of time and then insert them into the text, but this is eisegesis (reading into the text), not exegesis. NCT advocates allege parallels and type/antitype comparisons, but the text does not support them. Second, Peter compares the flood and the end of time in reference to "the word of God" (II Peter 3:5, 7). Yes, we all recognize that Peter mentions three time periods:

creation and Noah's day - "heavens from of old" ( II Peter 3:5);
Peter's day - "the heavens that now are" (II Peter 3:7); and
a future day- "new heavens and a new earth" (II Peter 3:13).

But, the point of comparison between these three time periods is not what NCT advocates make of it. The comparison that Peter makes concerns God's promised word that brings judgment. God's word that created the world and brought about the judgment in the flood of Noah's day (II Peter 3:5-6) is "the same word" (II Peter 3:7) that will bring about the judgment of fire and destruction at the end of time. This comparison concerning God's word and none other can rightly be established from the text. The purpose and effects of the flood are not the same as the purpose and effects of the fire. The condition of the earth after the food is not the same as the condition of the earth after the fire. The power and promise of God's word are the same between Noah's world today and the end of time. God's word is powerful, and God keeps His promised word. Peter makes this point about God's word in answer to the mockers' question in II Peter 3.4: "Where is the promise of his coming?" Peter's answer: God's word (II Peter 3:7) of promise will be kept (II Peter 3:13)!

Third, look at all the material in the Bible about the flood outside of II Peter 3. What do you find? We are told about the flood in each scripture to teach us a lesson about how God judges ungodly men and saves the righteous (see Genesis 6-7; Matthew 24:37-39; Luke 17:26-27; Hebrews 11:7; I Peter 3:20-21; II Peter 2:5; 3:4-14). Peter is not making "parallels" or "type/anti-type" comparisons that some NCT advocates think he is making. In keeping with the rest of the scripture, Peter tells us about the flood and then the fire to make his point about "the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men" (II Peter 3:7; see also Jude 14-23). Fourth, the purpose of God in using water in connection with the "world" (kosmos) of Noah's day was entirely different from His purpose in using fire in connection with the "earth" (ge) at the end-time. These two distinct purposes are not parallel. The purpose of the flood was to "perish" (apoleto) the "world" (kosmos) - every living thing except Noah and his family and the animals in the ark ( Genesis 6:7; 7:4, 21-23; II Peter 2:5). But (and note the "but" beginning II Peter 3:7), the purpose of the fire at the end of time is to dissolve (lutheesetai) the very heavens and "earth" (ge) themselves (II Peter 3:10,12).

Argument #2:

The destruction of sin is Peter's main point, not the destruction of the earth. II Peter 3:7 says that God will destroy ungodly men, not the earth.

Answer:

It is true that Peter speaks of "the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men" (II Peter 3:7). The "day of the Lord" (II Peter 3:8-9) certainly involves the destruction of the ungodly men. Peter had already mentioned God's judgment against ungodly men in II Peter 2:4-6, 9. However, the question and argument of the mockers in the immediate context deals with their view of "the creation" (II Peter 3:4), not with man's sin. The mockers had ignored the agency of God's powerful word and His divine intervention. They claimed that "the creation" has always continued, and nothing will change. Peter responds by saying that the creation was made "by the word of God" (II Peter 3:5), God's word caused it to be "overflowed with water" (II Peter 3:6), and God's word will one day cause it to "pass away" with fire (II Peter 3:7, 10-12). The "day of the Lord" is not just about punishing sinners. It is also about removing all together our present heavens and earth to make way for the new heavens and earth (II Peter 3:13). Jesus plainly said, "Heaven and earth shall pass away" (Mark 13:31; Luke 21:33).

Argument #3:

The fire of II Peter 3:7, 10, and 12 is the fire of testing and proving (just like in I Peter 1:7; 4:12). It is like the fire of the smelting process. This fire will not destroy the earth; it will simply test and prove it. Through testing and proving, this fire will bring about a "cosmic renewal" of the earth.

Answer:

First, we all recognize that passages in both the Old Testament (Malachi 3:2-4; 4:1) and New Testament speak of God using fire to test his people. "Fire" can certainly be used figuratively in the context of testing people (I Corinthians 3:13-14; I Peter 1:7; 4:12, etc.). But what words in the II Peter 3 context indicate that the fire here is being used for testing? There are no words in II Peter 3 mentioning "proving," "testing, or "trial," like in the other passages mentioned above. Read all of II Peter, and you will not find one reference to testing, proving, or trial like you do in I Peter.

Second, fire for testing is figurative, but Peter has been speaking of literal water (II Peter 3:5-6), and now of literal fire in the dissolving of the earth (II Peter 3:7; see Hebrews 6:8). The words Peter uses in II Peter 3:10-12 are associated with literal fire, a fire that burns ( the Greek word pyri used here is also found in Revelation 21: 8 for the fire of hell). Here are Peter's words: “great noise,” “dissolved” (3x), “fervent heat” (2x), "burned up," "being on fire," and "melt." Peter's graphic and intense description clarifies that a world conflagration is meant. The earth that God once "compacted" (II Peter 3:5), He will one day destroy by loosing it, releasing it, and dissolving it (lutheesetai).

Third, the fire of II Peter 3 is not for testing or proving but for dissolving. The fire is for "the earth and the works that are therein" (II Peter 3:10) and for "the heavens" (II Peter 3:12). The fire (II Peter 3:7) is not for some alleged "cosmic renewal," but is for the dissolving of our present heavens and earth ( II Peter 3:10-12). The fire will cause the heavens to "pass away" (see also Matthew 24:35; Revelation 20:11; and Revelation 21:1) and the elements (stoicheia, i.e., the elemental particles or components of the universe) to be "dissolved with fervent heat" (II Peter 3:10). God's fire is for the dissolving of the physical heavens and the earth (annihilation), not for their testing, proving, or renovation as some allege. We must be content to use Peter's language, not contemporary scholars.

Argument #4:

The translation "will be found," "discovered, or "laid bare" in II Peter 3:10 is better than "burned up." The ancient manuscript evidence is better for εὑρεθήσεται ("found," "discovered", NWT; "laid bare," NIV, NET) than for κατακαήσεται ("burned up" KJV, NKJV, ASV, NASV, RSV, etc.). Thus, the earth and its works will be "discovered" or "laid bare" for renovation. The earth will not be "burned up" or annihilated, it will be renovated.

Answer:

Limited space here does not permit me to deal with all the issues involved in the textual criticism of this verse. However, a few brief comments can be made. First, the translators of several important versions (see above) retained the word κατακαήσεται and translated it as "burned up." They did so because of the presence of this word in some ancient manuscripts and the immediate context of II Peter 3:10-12, which uses language associated with literal fire and burning (see above). Second, even if the manuscript evidence is better for εὑρεθήσεται ("found, "discovered," or "laid bare"), it is not a necessary conclusion that our present earth will be "laid bare" for renovation. If Peter, in fact, used εὑρεθήσεται, then his point in this context would be that the earth and works will be discovered and exposed to God's judgment of fire (II Peter 3:7, 10, 12). The earth and its works will have been discovered, laid bare, and exposed to God's fiery judgment when everything melts away and is dissolved. J.H. Thayer comments on this phrase: "γῆ καί τά ἐν αὐτῇ ἔργα εὑρεθήσεται: shall be found namely, for destruction, i.e., will be unable to hide themselves from the doom decreed them by God, II Peter 3:10" (A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, 261). "Laid bare" for destruction better fits the immediate context of II Peter 3:7, 10-12 than "laid bare" for renovation. (Note: For those wanting to study this issue further, you will want to take note that the latest 28th edition of the Nestle-Aland's Novum Testamentum Graece reads: οὐκ εὑρεθήσεται, "will not be found." If this is the original reading, then the matter is closed. No earth or works will be found after God's judgment of fire.)

Argument #5:

The word "new" in II Peter 3:13 is from the Greek word kainos, meaning "new in quality." This is not the Greek word neos, meaning "new in time." The "new heavens and a new earth" will be the old heavens and earth renovated and given a new quality of existence.

Answer:

First, Peter indeed uses the word kairos in II Peter 3:13, and yes, it does mean "new in quality." However, the word kainos also carries the idea of something brand new (new in time). New in quality does not necessarily eliminate the idea of new in time or new in substance. For example, the "new" (kainous) wineskins in Matthew 9:17 ( same word and form as II Peter 3: 13) were not old wineskins that were renovated. They were completely new wineskins that had replaced the old ones. The old wineskins were discarded, and "new" (kainos) wineskins were made and used.

Second, to argue that kainos means that something old is renovated does not hold up elsewhere in the New Testament. Who among us would argue that the "new" (kainos) man of II Corinthians 5:17 is simply the old man renovated, the "new" (kainos) covenant of Hebrews 8:8, 13 is simply the Old Covenant renovated, or the "new" (kainos) Jerusalem of Revelation 21:2 is simply the old, literal Jerusalem renovated?

Third, the word "But," which begins in II Peter 3:13, introduces a contrast between two different dwelling places, our physical earth now with ungodly men (II Peter 3:7) and that of a future new dwelling place for the righteous only (II Peter 3:13-14). This "new" dwelling place for God's people is in heaven (Matthew 5:12; 6:20; Philippians 3:20; Colossians 1:5; I Peter 1:4; Hebrews 11:16; 12:22-23; II Timothy 4:18), not on a renovated physical earth.

Argument #6:

The phrase "new heavens and a new earth" in II Peter 3:13 is used literally, not symbolically.

Answer:

Peter uses the phrase "new heavens and a new earth" in a fashion consistent with Isaiah 65:17, Isaiah 66:22, and John in Revelation 21:1. Studying the use of this phrase by Isaiah and John helps us to understand that Peter is using this phrase figuratively. When you study the context of this phrase used by Isaiah, Peter, and John, you will find that all three use this phrase to mean a new order, realm, or environment for God's people that does not involve a literal earth. What God's people have experienced in the past is now gone (Isaiah 65:17-25; II Peter 3:10-12; Revelation 20:11; 21:1, 4), and a "new" order or realm awaits them (Isaiah 66:22; II Peter 3:13; Revelation 21:1-3, 5). Isaiah, Peter, and John do not use this phrase to mean a literal, renovated heaven and earth for God's people.

Things to Remember

It is certainly good to answer error and false teaching with God's word, as I have hoped to do here, but we must also remember the importance of learning what Peter is teaching. Therefore, I would like to close with some practical admonitions concerning the coming judgment day of II Peter 3. Peter wanted his audience to be stirred up to remember some important truths concerning the Lord's coming and final judgment (II Peter 3:1-2). They were to remember some things and not to be carried away by the error of the mockers (II Peter 3:3-4, see also II Peter 3:17). What did Peter want them to remember?

First, they were to remember that when God speaks concerning coming judgment, He keeps His promise. God's word is powerful and certain (II Peter 3:5-7).
Second, they were to remember that a judgment day will come and God is not slack ( as the mockers suggested) concerning His promise of that day (II Peter 3:8-9).
Third, they were to remember that God's delay is not a sign of weakness but, in fact, one of strength. God is good and longsuffering, and He delays His coming to allow all to come to repentance (II Peter 3:9; see also II Peter 3:15 and Romans 2:4).
Fourth, they were to remember that the day of the Lord would come unannounced and unexpectedly "as a thief" (II Peter 3:10). They must be ready.
Fifth, they were to remember that the heavens and the earth they presently know would one day "pass away" and "be dissolved;" it would all be gone (II Peter 3:10-12).
Sixth, they were to remember to maintain "holy living and godliness" while they were waiting for the Lord's coming (II Peter 3:11). They must be "found in peace, without spot and blameless in his sight" (II Peter 3:14).
Seventh, they were to remember, like Abraham (Hebrews 11:10, 16), to "look for" something "new" and heavenly (II Peter 3:12-14).
Finally, they were to remember that some who were "ignorant and unsteadfast" would twist the Scriptures to their own destruction before the Lord comes (II Peter 3:16).

Note: This very chapter is being twisted by NCT advocates and others who come to the text with their preconceived idea of a renovated earth. They start with a theology of a renovated earth, twist these verses to make their theology fit, and then end by making Peter say the opposite of what he is really saying. They have the earth remaining renovated when Peter said it would pass away! They were not to be carried away with the error of the wicked or fall from their own steadfastness (II Peter 3:17). Instead, they must remember to grow in grace and knowledge (II Peter 3:18).

I desire that we all today be reminded of these same things so that we can be prepared to meet the Lord when He comes in judgment.

Jesus is the “I AM”

Jeffrey Hamilton — Sun, 12 May 2024 23:01:37 +0000

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Jesus-Is-The-I-AM.mp3

by Jeffrey W. Hamilton

I. Many religions cast doubts on the deity of Jesus

A. Jehovah’s Witnesses claim that Jesus is the first creation of God.

B. Muslims see Jesus as nothing more than a significant prophet, much like Moses.

C. Probably the best analysis of who is Jesus is found in the book of John.

II. The evidence in John

A. The Word was God - John 1:1-5, 10-12, 14

1. Everything was created by the Word.

2. The world was made by the Light.

3. That same God dwelt among us as a man

B. Jesus’ omnipresence - John 1:45-49

1. Jesus saw an event were he was not present physically

2. Nathaniel realized the full significance of Jesus’ ability.

3. This was later demonstrated at Lazarus’ death - John 11:3-15

C. Jesus knew the hearts of men - John 2:24

1. This is a claim of omniscience

2. Jesus knew the past of people he only just met - John 4:17-18, 28-29

3. Jesus healed without being present - John 4:47-53

a. Not only was the healing done, but Jesus knew the results without being present.

b. Another sign that he was all-knowing.

D. Jesus’ claim of being the son of God made him equal to God - John 5:17-18

1. His statement indicates that God as well as he was working to sustain the world, even as they spoke.

2. Colossians 1:17 - In Jesus all things hold together

E. The power of Jesus

1. In John 6, Jesus demonstrates his power over creation by feeding five thousand men with five loaves and two fishes and still having 12 baskets of leftovers.

2. He also walks on water during a storm in John 6

3. He raises Lazarus from the dead in John 11.

4. This is the claim of omnipotent

F. He claimed to come from heaven - John 6:38, 41-42, 46-51

1. Not only this, but Jesus makes an even stronger claim of seeing God the Father

2. A similar claim later caused the Jews to attempt to kill him - John 7:28-29

G. Jesus claimed to be “I AM”

1. God identified himself as “I AM” to Moses - Exodus 3:14

2. John 8:23-24 - Notice that the “he” was added by the translators. Jesus said he was not from this world and that we must believe that he is “I AM”.

3. John 8:50-59 - The Jews understood this.

4. After washing the disciple’s feet, Jesus tells the future events so that they will believe that he is “I AM”. - John 13:18-19

5. This explains why those who came to arrest Jesus fell on the ground before him - John 18:3-8

a. The very statement of his name caused even the wicked to bow before him.

III. Truly was Jesus the fullness of deity in bodily form - Colossians 2:9

A. His name is Immanuel - “God with us” - Matthew 1:23

On What Was Jesus Crucified?

Jeffrey Hamilton — Thu, 27 Apr 2023 22:24:49 +0000

by Jefferson David Tant

According to the Jehovah’s Witnesses doctrine, Christ was put to death on a pole, rather than a cross. Notice a quote from their literature.

“Jesus did not die on a cross. He died on a pole, or a stake. The Greek word translated ‘cross’ in many Bible verses meant just one piece of timber” [What Does God Require of Us, 1996, p. 230.

The Witnesses’ contention is that the cross was a sign of pagan worship, and thus God would have had no part in any connection to pagan worship. But there are various things that do identify that Christ was actually nailed to a cross rather than just a stake or pole.

For one thing, consider the Greek word “stauros” for “cross,” and its definition. “Stauros in the NT… was a pole sunk into the ground with a cross-bar fastened to it giving it a ‘T’ shape. Often the word ‘cross’ referred only to the cross-bar.” [The Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible, vol. 1, 1976, pp. 1037-1038].

To avoid this obvious definition of the word, the Jehovah's Witnesses New World Translation changes the definition to “stake” every time “stauros” appears in the New Testament. This is not the only time they have changed the original Greek text. Note Christ’s conversation with the Jews in John 8:56-59: "Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad." So the Jews said to Him, "You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?" Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am." Therefore they picked up stones to throw at Him, but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple.”

Jesus was referring His eternity, as the Greek for “I am” is from “eimi,” which is defined as “the first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist” [Strongs Greek Dictionary]. This is a reference to Christ’s eternal existence. But since the Witnesses claim that Christ is an angel, and not eternal, they change the wording to read, “Before Abraham was, I was.” The same thing could be said concerning Christ and Noah. I have a concern about any denomination that has to have its own translation of the Bible.

But back to the crucifixion. Where did the soldiers place the inscription? Above his head, or above his hands? If his hands had been nailed to the post, the inscription would have been above his hands,” but the text says it was “above his head.”

“And above His head they put up the charge against Him which read, ’THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS" (Matthew 27:37).

The next time the Jehovah's Witnesses come to your door, you might ask them about this.

You Can’t Understand the Bible Without the Watchtower!

Jeffrey Hamilton — Mon, 17 Apr 2023 21:27:47 +0000

by Jefferson David Tant

The September 2007 Kingdom Ministry had a Question Box that said the Governing Body does not want Jehovah's Witnesses to meet privately to discuss the Bible. That’s strange. For people who claim to be devoted Bible students ... it seems that the leadership really doesn't want them to read the Bible ... unless, of course, they are reading it along with their Watchtower literature.

They claim that if a Witness reads just the Bible, he will in time stop believing Watchtower doctrine. Doesn’t that indicate that Watchtower theology doesn't agree with what the Bible says? This has been their view since the days of their founder Charles Taze Russell:

“Furthermore, not only do we find that people cannot see the divine plan in studying the Bible by itself, but we see, also, that if anyone lays the scripture studies aside, even after he has used them, after he has become familiar with them, after he has read them for ten years — if he then lays them aside and ignores them and goes to the Bible alone, though he has understood his Bible for ten years, our experience shows that within two years he goes into darkness.“ [The Watchtower, September 15, 1910, p. 298].

It's hard to believe that this was written as the official position of the Jehovah's Witnesses organization. If this position is true, there are at least two conclusions to draw from it.

Evidently, God wasn’t smart enough to give a revelation that mankind could understand.
For over 1800 years mankind had no hope of salvation, as that only came when Russell pointed out the way!So, does a Jehovah's Witness study the Bible? He is encouraged not to, for if he studies only the Bible, he will cease believing the Watchtower doctrines, since they are in conflict with the Bible.

“We must not lose sight of the fact that God is directing his organization… To turn away from Jehovah and his organization, to spurn the direction of ‘the faithful and discreet slave,’ and to rely simply on personal Bible reading and interpretation is to become like a solitary tree in a parched land.”[The Watchtower, June 1, 1985, pp. 19-20].

If this is true, why didn’t God give the wisdom that he gave to Russell to the first-century writers —Paul, Peter, Luke, etc.? Why did He leave mankind without hope for 18 centuries? Would that be a just and loving God, who wants all mankind to be saved? If the Bible alone is basically worthless, why did He give it and preserve it through the centuries? According to what was written in the Watchtower, the Bible on its own is worthless, and reading it is actually dangerous to a Christian's spirituality.

This means that for over 1800 years, no one could understand the Bible until Russell came along in the 1870s and gave mankind its true meaning. Who can believe it? Note the words of Jesus in Matthew 4:4 “But He answered and said, "It is written, 'Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.'" He did not say, “And I will give you the rest of My words in some 1800 years.”

As for me and my house, we will stay with God’s revelation, not Russell’s.

Isn’t there a textual variation in II Peter 3:10?

Jeffrey Hamilton — Thu, 26 Jan 2023 21:37:47 +0000

Question:

Dear Sirs.

I have read your Web page critiquing the NWT of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Very interesting.

May I just address just one of the scripture places you examined, namely II Peter 3:10? It seems you think the NWT mistranslates it here. But they did not as the verb they translated, which appears in the Westcott and Hort Greek text as well as other modern critical Greek texts of the New Testament is a form of, future passive indicative, εὑρίσκω and which means what the NWT has given it. It is not the verb κατακαησεται that led you to believe the NWT was being "inconsistent."

Other translations likewise translate how the NWT here does.

I am wondering in light of the above if you would consider it right to update your NWT web page to reflect the above?

Hope this helps.

Answer:

"But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up" (II Peter 3:10 NASB).

"But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare" (II Peter 3:10 NIV).

"But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed" (II Peter 3:10 ESV).

"But Jehovah’s day will come as a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar, but the elements being intensely hot will be dissolved, and earth and the works in it will be exposed" (II Peter 3:10 NWT 2013 edition).

"Yet Jehovah’s day will come as a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a hissing noise, but the elements being intensely hot will be dissolved, and earth and the works in it will be discovered" (II Peter 3:10 NWT 1984 edition).

Before getting into the textual variations, let us take note of the terms Peter uses. When the day of the Lord arrives, it will come suddenly and unexpectedly as a thief robbing you. At that time,

the heavens will pass away: pareleusontai. The word means "to pass by" in a literal or figurative sense. For example, in Luke 11:42, Jesus charges the Pharisees with passing by (disregarding) justice. In this case, the word is being used to mean that the heavens are gone in the same way that James 1:10 says the rich will eventually die.
with a roar: rhoizedon. This word means a loud rushing sound often caused by movement.
the elements will be destroyed: luthesontai. The word means to let something loose, set it free, destroy it, break it up, or abolish it.
with intense heat: kausoumena. The word means to be consumed by heat, to be burnt up, or to be set on fire.

The description is all of a destructive force that destroys

the heavens: ouranoi. This word refers to a large volume, such as the earth's atmosphere (Matthew 6:26), outer space (Acts 4:24), or the location of God's throne (Matthew 5:34). Being in the plural, what is being destroyed is the atmosphere and the cosmos.
the elements: stoicheia. This word literally means things that belong in a series. But it is used to refer to rudimentary parts, such as the alphabet composes the parts of words. Thus, it refers in this context to the basic elements that make up this world.

This leads to a problem in reconstructing the original text of II Peter 3:10. Some of the earliest manuscripts (dating around A.D. 350) say, "and the earth and its works will be found." One of the earliest translations of the New Testament (dating around A.D. 500) says, "and the earth and its works will not be found." The remaining manuscripts (starting around A.D. 425), which constitute the vast majority of them, say, "and the earth and its works will be destroyed."

"One of the most difficult textual problems in the NT is found in v. 10. The reading εὑρεθήσεται (heurethēsetai), which enjoys by far the best support (א B K P 0156^vid 323 1175 1241 1739^txt 1852) is nevertheless so difficult a reading that many scholars regard it as nonsensical. (NA²⁷ lists five conjectures by scholars, from Hort to Mayor, in this text. All conjectures were eliminated in the NA²⁸ apparatus) As R. Bauckham has pointed out, solutions to the problem are of three sorts: (1) conjectural emendation (which normally speaks more of the ingenuity of the scholar who makes the proposal than of the truth of the conjecture, e.g., changing one letter in the previous word, ἔργα [erga] becomes ἄργα [arga] with the meaning, “the earth and the things in it will be found useless”); (2) adoption of one of several variant readings (all of which, however, are easier than this one and simply cannot explain how this reading arose, e.g., the reading of P⁷² which adds λυόμενα [luomena] to the verb—a reading suggested no doubt by the threefold occurrence of this verb in the surrounding verses: “the earth and its works will be found dissolved”; or the simplest variant, the reading of the Sahidic mss and a couple of other ancient versions, οὐχ [ouch] preceding εὑρεθήσεται—“will not be found”); or (3) interpretive gymnastics which regards the text as settled but has to do some manipulation to its normal meaning. Bauckham puts forth an excellent case that the third option is to be preferred and that the meaning of the term is virtually the equivalent of “will be disclosed,” “will be manifested.” (That this meaning is not readily apparent may in fact have been the reason for so many variants and conjectures.) Thus, the force of the clause is that “the earth and the works [done by men] in it will be stripped bare [before God].” In addition, the unusualness of the expression is certainly in keeping with the author’s style throughout this little book. Hence, what looks to be suspect because of its abnormalities, upon closer inspection is actually in keeping with the author’s stylistic idiosyncrasies. The meaning of the text then is that all but the earth and mankind’s works will be destroyed. Everything will be removed so that humanity will stand naked before God. Textually, then, on both external and internal grounds, εὑρεθήσεται commends itself as the preferred reading." [NET footnote on II Peter 3:10].

Basically, scholars have broken this problem down into several possibilities.

Earlier manuscripts are generally preferred, but given the small sample size, it is possible that these manuscripts were altered. Since the reading is difficult in the earlier manuscripts, many scholars lean toward the majority reading of "destroyed."
The Syriac translation is a puzzle. Though the translation dates back to A.D. 250, the earliest copies are fragmented. The earliest copy of II Peter is found in a manuscript dated A.D. 508. It says "not found." Either an early scribe accidentally dropped the "not" in his copy that influenced all these manuscripts or the translators of the Syriac added a "not" to make the reading fit the context better.
Scholars tend to also favor harder readings over easier readings because of this tendency of scribes to fix what they didn't understand. Thus, if "found" is the correct word, then it means that at Christ's return, everything that was once hidden will be revealed for judgment (I Corinthians 3:13).

Regardless, the overall meaning of the passage does not change. At Christ's return, the physical world will be destroyed down to its very elements by intense heat. Judgment will take place, and Peter asks, "Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat!" (II Peter 3:11-12).

Jehovah's Witnesses believe that fire will destroy the earth's surface but that the world will remain and be repopulated. The New World Translation was produced by the Watchtower Society of the Jehovah's Witnesses and its word choices were in view to supporting their beliefs (such as using "dissolve" instead of "destroyed") or using "but" instead of "and" to separate the elements of the earth from passing away like the cosmos.

I will update the wording of my review of the New World Translation to reflect the variation of the source texts.