Recently, Prophet Uebert Angel has publicly criticized the Jehovah’s Witnesses, labeling them a cult and asserting that they are not Christians, he challenges their doctrines, particularly their denial of Jesus as Lord, which he views as a fundamental departure from Christian orthodoxy.
Jesus according to Jehovah’s Witnesses
Jehovah’s Witnesses teach that Jesus was created by Jehovah (their preferred name for God the Father) as His first creation. According to their official doctrine, Jesus is actually Michael the Archangel in his pre-human existence. He is considered a “mighty god” but not “Almighty God.” This view stems from their interpretation of passages like John 1:1, which in their New World Translation reads: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was a god.” To them, Jesus is a powerful being used by Jehovah in the creation of the world and for human salvation, but He is not to be worshipped as God. Jehovah’s Witnesses are explicitly taught to reserve worship for Jehovah alone.
In stark contrast, mainstream Christianity has historically affirmed the doctrine of the Trinity: one God in three persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit . Jesus is worshipped as God the Son, co-equal and co-eternal with the Father. Verses like John 1:1, John 20:28 and Colossians 2:9 support the belief in Jesus as fully God which supports Prophet Uebert Angel’s claim. Denying Jesus’ divinity is to reject the very foundation of the faith. The confession that “Jesus is Lord” (Romans 10:9) is not simply a declaration of authority, it is a statement of divine identity
The Cult Controversy
Due to their denial of Jesus’ divinity and their rejection of the Trinity, many Christian leaders, including figures like Prophet Uebert Angel, have labelled Jehovah’s Witnesses a cult rather than a Christian denomination. Angel recently made headlines for his bold statement. “You think Jehovah’s Witnesses are Christians? You are a liar. They’re not. They’re simply a cult.” He emphasized their denial of Jesus as Lord as the key reason for this distinction.
These statements have sparked discussions among religious communities, with some supporting Angel’s stance and others defending the beliefs of Jehovah’s Witnesses.
While Jehovah’s Witnesses hold many admirable qualities—devotion, discipline, and zeal among them, their theological departure from the core belief in Jesus Christ as Lord and God places them at odds with traditional Christian doctrine. For those who adhere to the teachings of the Bible as interpreted by historic Christianity, the question is not merely one of semantics but of salvation itself.
