A Letter to the Organization

The letter sent to the Organization of Jehovah's Witnesses!

Dear Brothers and Sisters;

With this letter of mine I wish to ask you a question that has long occupied me. At first I had thought to leave the subject alone for a while. The verse in Romans 14:23 of the Gospel, in the Bible reading program, forced me to write this letter. There it says: “Everything that is not based on faith is sin.” And I, through the service I render as an elder in the Neckarsulm Turkish congregation — and since I am also in the position of a teacher to the brothers — believe that I myself must at the very least have faith in the things I teach.

My question concerns Jehovah's seeing of the future. In the books and magazines among the publications on this question, this subject has unfortunately always been confused — foreseeing the future mixed together with predetermining. Indeed, while this statement is placed under predetermination in the German book “Einsichten” (Insight), in the book of conversation topics it is written, very simply and understandably, that the two have no connection with each other whatsoever. This theory — that Jehovah God predetermines the things people will do — accords neither with logic nor with Jehovah's love. On the contrary, His seeing of the future and His use of this attribute is a sign of His love. For this reason, in the article in the Watchtower (German Wachtturm issue 53/p.468 paragraph 13), these words appear, for me utterly incomprehensible:

“…He does not use that ability to know the future in order to interfere in the affairs of His creatures. He is not a doubting, suspicious God who continually wants to seek fault in the thoughts, aims and hearts of His creatures and to make difficulties for them.”

Why is seeing the future presented here as something bad? When, on the contrary, one could say: “His making known His warnings on a matter concerning societies expresses the mercy He shows to humanity”! Continuing on this subject, in the German Watchtower of 15 April 1998, the event of Abraham sacrificing his son is used as proof. I cannot fully agree with this. Because Jehovah knows His creatures very well, we can say that even His knowing Abraham's attitude of heart alone would be enough for God to know how he would behave. Let alone if we also take into account that He sees the future…! But Jehovah's nonetheless saying:

“…now I know that you fear God, for you did not withhold your only son from me” (Genesis 22:12) does not mean that God did not foresee what Abraham would do. (And in fact it was not Jehovah but an angel who said it.)

It is possible for us to come across many such examples in the Holy Scripture. (E.g., Jehovah saying to Adam after Adam's sin, “Where are you?”; or to Cain, “Where is your brother?” (Genesis 3:9; 4:9).) If we set out with the knowledge that God foresees everything, then of course some fundamental questions will also arise.

Question: If God knew that Adam would eat of the forbidden fruit, why does He forbid it?

For many people this appears as a pointless prohibition. But Adam was created perfect (flawless), in the image and likeness of God. If he did not obey God's command, whose fault is that? Later God sends to the earth one who is perfect like Adam — Jesus. His enduring through many trials and hardships, even unto death, is a proof that God was right and did nothing wrong in the matter concerning Adam.

Jehovah saw the future of both. Why should this seeing of the future make God guilty? Do we not also encourage our children to obey? — even though we know they will not always obey us. The prophet Ezekiel had to warn the people of Israel — even though Jehovah God knew beforehand that “no one would listen to Him”! (Ezekiel 3:7) We see another example in Moses' book of Deuteronomy 31:16-19, 29. This truth is also plainly evident in the words of the song that Jehovah wanted the people of Israel to learn. God makes a covenant with the Israelites. Even though He knows they will not stay faithful to this covenant, He nonetheless does not refrain from such a covenant. Moses' song was to be a testimony against the people of Israel. With this, too, Jehovah is cleared of all accusations. Because of all these principles, why should we say God likewise “does not concern Himself” with individuals — despite there being many signs in the Holy Scripture that He does. For example, the two sons of Moses' brother Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, with a special privilege, together with their father, Moses and 70 leaders (or elders) chosen from the people, saw God's glory on the mountain and ate before Him. (Exodus 24:1,9-11) A short time later these two sons of Aaron, in their service to God, irreverently brought a wrong fire-offering of incense! (Leviticus 10:1) Despite these privileges God had shown and given them, because they acted with an irreverent spirit, God, by killing these two with fire from heaven, plainly shows that they deserved death. In this matter no one can accuse God.

Adam's disobedience is a similar example to these. And, as you wish to imply, Jehovah was never taken by surprise in these unfolding events. On the contrary, the apostle Paul writes in his letter to the Romans: “For the creation was subjected to futility — not by the creation's own will, but by the will of the God who subjected it to futility.” (Romans 8:20-21) But why? Paul gives the answer again in the Gospel, in the verses of his letter to the Romans, chapter 9:19-24.

We know why God permits evil. This was not because of some unexpected surprise to God from Adam's sin. On the contrary, God chose this path in order to bring a definite and lasting solution. In the Watchtower (German p.469 paragraph 14) it is written: “Jehovah is not obliged to concern Himself with individuals one by one while accomplishing His purpose.” Of course that is true, but on this matter likening individuals to a gardener's attitude toward pests does not in the least fit the spirit of the Holy Scripture. Indeed, Jesus had said: “All your hairs are numbered.” In the Holy Scripture we see that Jehovah, by paying attention to what His servants do, values them. (E.g., God saying to Satan: “Have you considered Job? There is no one like him in the world” is again a clear proof that He knows all of humanity in the world. Otherwise He could not have said so (Job 1:8).) The prophet Elijah, too, when he challenged the worshippers of Baal, knew very well that he and his people were not a worthless pest in God's eyes. On the contrary, he did not doubt that Jehovah would help him. Elijah's challenge was to show the helplessness of those who worship false gods.

If we read the Holy Scripture from beginning to end, we will not come across even the tiniest sign that God does not see, or does not wish to see, the future — whether concerning individuals or societies. Jehovah our God is not under the dominion of time but is above it, ruling over it. And why would He use this attribute not always but only now and then? Is He too busy? Could such a thing be in question for God? If He is the one who created the heavens, the earth and all that is in them, the seen and the unseen things, and continually sustains their existence — how is it that we presume to think this way and set limits on Him! His seeing the future is, more than an ability, an attribute He possesses, like His love, mercy, power and justice. A God who uses these attributes only now and then is no God at all. He possesses these attributes always, and uses them. We may not understand why Jehovah does some things, but this does not give us the right to put Him within limits. In fact, God's foreseeing the future shows all the more that He is loving and wise.

A simple example will perhaps enable us to see this. The father of a family goes away on a journey for a week. To cover his necessary needs, he leaves money for his son, who will remain alone at home — even though the father knows, indeed is certain, that his son will not use this money in keeping with its purpose. (Because of this the son may even go hungry for a few days.) But does the father's knowing this situation require him to leave without leaving any money at home at all? Rather, warning his son beforehand, he says: “This money is enough for you to be comfortable for a week. Whether you use it purposefully or not is in your hands.” However much the son does not act according to his father's warning, this son can never accuse his father. On the contrary, from his father's words he will admit that the father was right, and perhaps in the future he will have learned a lesson. A verse that supports this example is also written in Romans 3:3-5. There it says:

“Well then, what if some Jews (one could also say, all people) have proved unfaithful? Does their unfaithfulness nullify God's faithfulness? Certainly not! Even if everyone were a liar, let it be known that God speaks the truth. As it is written: ‘So that you may be shown right in your words and win the case when you are judged.’ But if our unrighteousness brings out God's righteousness, what shall we say? I speak in human terms: Is God, who punishes with wrath, unjust?”

Another question concerning Jehovah's limitless seeing of the future is:

Why then did God choose Saul and Iscariot? — even though He knew, He saw, what they would do in the end.

If a gardener has noticed beforehand the disease of a tree in the garden, he will not cut it down as long as he sees that it does not harm the fruit and the trees in the garden. In John 15:1-2 it says:

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, and every branch that bears fruit he prunes and cleans so that it may bear more fruit.”

In the same way, when Saul and Iscariot were chosen, they were useful, good people. Why then should Jehovah curtail some of their rights? Not until unrighteousness is found in these people — let alone when, until that time, they are also good people. If we consider Saul, for example, when he was chosen it was certain that there was no one better than him for this task among his people.

Because of all this, we again cannot lay any injustice upon God. Of course, we cannot fully explain such a broad subject in a two-page letter. But with this letter I have touched on a few fundamental matters. I cannot believe in the thought and teaching that “God sees the future now and then, or sees it if He wishes to see it.” From my conversations with the brothers, too, I see that many believe and think in this direction, as I do.

My request of you is, please, to occupy yourselves again with this matter through prayers to God. Especially with that explanation in the Watchtower. (Wachtturm 15.4.98, German)

Your brother and fellow servant, awaiting your reply full of brotherly love.

A Short Explanation:

Jehovah's Witnesses do not believe that God always sees the future. They absolutely reject that He foreknew Adam would commit sin. Their views on this matter not only do not rest on the Holy Scripture, but their explanations are also as confused and incomprehensible as the Christian world's belief in the Trinity.

They also immediately removed the person who wrote this letter from his office as elder and reprimanded him before the whole congregation because of this belief — with the threat that, if he spoke openly on this matter, his association would be cut off entirely. In the end, because this writing was published at « http://mesias.de », they twice announced that their association with him was severed!!! On this matter, just a single verse from us, out of thousands:

There is no creature that God does not see. Everything is naked and open before the eyes of the God to whom we shall give account. Gospel — Hebrews chapter 4:13.

Now you yourselves consider what kind of life began for Bernd. For nearly all his relatives, his wife and his whole environment are Jehovah's Witnesses. But whatever happens, Bernd took the step toward freedom. Whoever has tasted this becomes a bit harder to make into a donkey again. Or he regrets it, returns, and becomes a complete donkey! All of these things depend on Bernd's motive — that is, his attitude of heart. These words apply not only to Bernd, but to all the Bernds and all people like Bernd.