Why Do Jehovah's Witnesses Reject Blood Transfusions?

BroRando said:

Why Do Jehovah's Witnesses Reject Blood Transfusions?
View attachment 16769
Jehovah's Witnesses are Christians who accepted the 'Blood of Christ' for salvation. The truth never changes and a true Christian should also be mindful of Satan's Challenge to Jehovah about skin in behalf of skin. Therefore, accepting *Blood* from another source or even themselves could be rendered a denial of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

In the time of the end known as the Last Days, "Many will cleanse themselves and whiten themselves and will be refined. And the wicked ones will act wickedly, and none of the wicked will understand; but those having insight will understand." (Daniel 12:10) True Christians who exercise faith in the Living Blood of Christ will survive that Last Days and 'are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.'(Rev 7:14)


Teachings of Jesus Christ:

• "Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has everlasting life, and I will resurrect him on the last day;" (John 6:54)
• For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it." (Matthew 16:25)
• "But whoever disowns me before men, I will also disown him before my Father who is in the heavens." (Matthew 10:33)
• "Just let your word ‘Yes’ mean yes, your ‘No,’ no, for what goes beyond these is from the wicked one." (Matthew 5:37)

Teaching of the Apostles:

• "For if we practice sin willfully after having received the accurate knowledge of the truth, there is no longer any sacrifice for sins left," (Hebrews 10:26)

Teaching of the Holy Spirit:

• "Abstain . . . from blood. If you carefully keep yourselves from these things, you will prosper. Good health to you!” (Acts 15:28-29)

Read more...

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You mean abstain from EATING blood, right? Or are you meaning to misrepresent the passage?

And sacrifices, you equate a medical procedure with offering animal sacrifices? Is there anything in the Bible like that?

I wondering, what does any of this have to do with medical procedures?

OR do you mean that we should reject all medical interventions?

For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it." (Matthew 16:25)

Much love!

BroRando said:

Therefore, accepting *Blood* from another source or even themselves could be rendered a denial of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

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Absolutely false.

That's something someone made up.

I suppose you don't eat bread either? OR are you not consistent?

Much love!

BroRando said:

Teachings of Jesus Christ:

• "Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has everlasting life, and I will resurrect him on the last day;" (John 6:54)
• For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it." (Matthew 16:25)
• "But whoever disowns me before men, I will also disown him before my Father who is in the heavens." (Matthew 10:33)
• "Just let your word ‘Yes’ mean yes, your ‘No,’ no, for what goes beyond these is from the wicked one." (Matthew 5:37)

Teaching of the Apostles:

• "For if we practice sin willfully after having received the accurate knowledge of the truth, there is no longer any sacrifice for sins left," (Hebrews 10:26)

Teaching of the Holy Spirit:

• "Abstain . . . from blood. If you carefully keep yourselves from these things, you will prosper. Good health to you!” (Acts 15:28-29)

Click to expand...

Looking once more over this, nothing you've posted here actually addresses transfusions.

Feeding on Jesus' flesh and blood . . . you don't abstain from bread, and you know that this doesn't mean what you eat at lunch. And is doesn't mean what you do to treat bodily ailments.

Saving and losing one's life . . . well, if you aren't trying to save your own life, why do you eat at all? Do you see how this doesn't relate?

Disowning Jesus? You can apply that to anything I suppose, but not with any Scriptural foundation. This is not about medical treatments.

Yes be yes? What does this have to do with medical treatments?

It's like you post this content as if it means something, but it's all out of context, and speaking of other things.

Much love!

BroRando said:

Why Do Jehovah's Witnesses Reject Blood Transfusions?
View attachment 16769
Jehovah's Witnesses are Christians who accepted the 'Blood of Christ' for salvation. The truth never changes and a true Christian should also be mindful of Satan's Challenge to Jehovah about skin in behalf of skin. Therefore, accepting *Blood* from another source or even themselves could be rendered a denial of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

In the time of the end known as the Last Days, "Many will cleanse themselves and whiten themselves and will be refined. And the wicked ones will act wickedly, and none of the wicked will understand; but those having insight will understand." (Daniel 12:10) True Christians who exercise faith in the Living Blood of Christ will survive that Last Days and 'are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.'(Rev 7:14)


Teachings of Jesus Christ:

• "Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has everlasting life, and I will resurrect him on the last day;" (John 6:54)
• For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it." (Matthew 16:25)
• "But whoever disowns me before men, I will also disown him before my Father who is in the heavens." (Matthew 10:33)
• "Just let your word ‘Yes’ mean yes, your ‘No,’ no, for what goes beyond these is from the wicked one." (Matthew 5:37)

Teaching of the Apostles:

• "For if we practice sin willfully after having received the accurate knowledge of the truth, there is no longer any sacrifice for sins left," (Hebrews 10:26)

Teaching of the Holy Spirit:

• "Abstain . . . from blood. If you carefully keep yourselves from these things, you will prosper. Good health to you!” (Acts 15:28-29)

Read more...

Click to expand...

This is really a deep subject my brother, personally the reason I will never take one is found in your last sentence, the governing body of the first century stated to abstain from blood. It is recorded in God's word, therefore I believe it to be His will. Healthwise I have fared very well, as living the faith will render the best health possible. Since none of us smoke, or are alcoholics or illegal drug users, that alone makes us healthier. Many of us go even beyond that and are very health conscious, taking into account that physical training is beneficial. Just look at some of our elderly brothers and sisters compared to those not of our faith, there is no doubt in my mind that living the requirements of Jehovah is the best possible way of life.

But the blood of Christ accepted by the Father on the altar in heaven for the forgiveness of sins, and a blood transfusion are two entirely different things. They are not related in function in any way at all. I respect the conscience of the JW and do not want to attempt to cause them to do something they are not convinced they can do. But they should at least understand why others do not hold their convictions. It has nothing to do with rebellion.

BroRando said:

Therefore, accepting *Blood* from another source or even themselves could be rendered a denial of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

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Only if you're doing it for the salvation of your soul. You know, as payment to God for your sin. A medical blood transfusion is not used for that purpose.

Acts 15:19-21, 28 is the Scripture Jehovah’s Witnesses typically point to as the reason they refuse to accept blood donations. Acts 15:20 says, "Instead we should write to them, telling them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals and from blood." It is clear from the context that the instructions were against eating / drinking blood, not blood transfusions. Blood transfusions were not even possible in Bible times, so there is no possibility that this Scripture could be referring to blood transfusions. There were many pagan religious practices that involved eating and drinking blood and/or strangling an animal to keep more of its blood in its meat. This is what the Bible speaks against, not blood transfusions.

Is it acceptable for a Christian to receive or give a blood transfusion? Since the Bible does not explicitly say, a decision of this nature can only be made between a person and God. One consideration might be that God created billions of people over the centuries, but only four blood types, making it possible to transfuse blood from one person to another, regardless of race or nationality. Perhaps this is an argument for the legitimacy of blood transfusions. A person should carefully and prayerfully consider what God would have him do in regards to receiving/giving a blood transfusion. There is no command either way in Scripture. Blood transfusions are, therefore, a matter of conscience.

Ferris Bueller said:

But the blood of Christ accepted by the Father on the altar in heaven for the forgiveness of sins, and a blood transfusion are two entirely different things. They are not related in function in any way at all. I respect the conscience of the JW and do not want to attempt to cause them to do something they are not convinced they can do. But they should at least understand why others do not hold their convictions. It has nothing to do with rebellion.

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Thanks for your kind response Ferris. Jehovah has had many laws repeated in His word on blood, and how it is to be used. It is just not from ignorance that Jehovah gave these laws, He is very serious on obedience to them. We Christians are no longer under those laws, however, the first century governing body distinctly stated abstain from blood, Acts 15:29. We therefore have the choice to either obey it or not. We realize that nothing found in God's word for instruction will ever cause us lasting harm. Obedience is the key to everlasting life, disregard for His ways usually even reduce our present life span.

Acts 15:29
New American Standard Bible
29 that you abstain from things sacrificed to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from acts of sexual immorality; if you keep yourselves free from such things, you will do well. Farewell.”

Some say that "abstain from blood" means do not eat blood. However 'abstain' means 'keep away from' blood. Can you imagine the horror of God's people back then if someone decided that since you must not eat/drink blood, he was going to insert blood into his body instead?

If you were told you must abstain from alcohol/urine/acid, would it be OK to insert them into your arm?

And how do you abstain from eating acts of sexual morality? Do you really believe that is what was intended?

Robert Gwin said:

We Christians are no longer under those laws...

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That is the main reason why I believe I can eat blood if I want to. The prohibition in the law against eating the blood of the sacrifice was setting the stage for the day when the people of God would eat the blood of the sacrifice in the New Covenant. The prohibition in the law against eating the blood signified that law can not put the efficacious life of the sacrifice in the worshiper. Law can't do that. But the New Covenant does do that. The life blood of the Sacrifice (Jesus) is applied to the inner parts of the worshiper in the New Covenant making it superior to the old covenant of law in which the life of the sacrifice was poured out on the ground, not applied to the worshiper.

Robert Gwin said:

...however, the first century governing body distinctly stated abstain from blood, Acts 15:29. We therefore have the choice to either obey it or not.

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The ruling passed down in Acts 15 was a concession. A concession created by the council and which the Holy Spirit approved. I'm convinced that the council decided that to keep the peace between gentiles and Jews about the law the gentiles should be careful to do these particular things in order to not offend the believing Jews. It would be like me being in the same fellowship as you, and me being told to be careful to not eat the blood of a sacrifice for your sake—even though I can. Such a ruling would be for the sake of keeping us unified in peace and, most of all, not causing you to stumble.

tigger 2 said:

Acts 15:29
New American Standard Bible
29 that you abstain from things sacrificed to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from acts of sexual immorality; if you keep yourselves free from such things, you will do well. Farewell.”

Some say that "abstain from blood" means do not eat blood. However 'abstain' means 'keep away from' blood. Can you imagine the horror of God's people back then if someone decided that since you must not eat/drink blood, he was going to insert blood into his body instead?

If you were told you must abstain from alcohol/urine/acid, would it be OK to insert them into your arm?

And how do you abstain from eating acts of sexual morality? Do really believe that is what was intended?

Click to expand...

I've struggled over the years as to what the common denominator was for all the things listed that are to be abstained from in Acts 15:20. For not all these things are sin in this New Covenant, so that's not the common denominator. I've heard that these are all health related. Sounds good, but it doesn't really address the conflict between the Jews and the gentiles. The common denominator of all these things is pagan worship.

We know from other parts of the Bible that it is indeed okay to eat the meat sacrificed to an idol. In and of itself, that's not a sin. So the council is not saying 'don't sin by eating meat offered to an idol', because that's not a sin (though Paul discourages it). What the council is saying is gentiles should abstain from all semblance of their pagan worship practices for the sake of the Jews who, by reason of conscience and tradition, are offended by those practices, even though they aren't sinful in and of themselves (with the exception of sexual immorality, of course).

BroRando said:

Only the 'Blood of Christ' gives salvation.

I think most here on the forum and in the world have already rejected the Lord's Prayer. The One Jesus calls the only true God. I wish everyone would come to know the Biblical Jesus. Jesus said to him: “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6)

"For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, a man, Christ Jesus," (1 Timothy 2:5)
Many have rejected the Mediator, how sad! They reject the Only Way to the Father.

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It has to do with the heart dear brother, no matter how much we choose it for them, they have to choose it for themselves. We just keep planting the seeds, and the great news is, some will grow as Jehovah has not closed this system yet.

BroRando said:

The mixing of souls is forbidden. “Only flesh with its soul—its blood—you must not eat.”

• Genesis 9:4. God allowed Noah and his family to add animal flesh to their diet after the Flood but commanded them not to eat the blood. God told Noah: “Only flesh with its soul—its blood—you must not eat.” This command applies to all mankind from that time on because all are descendants of Noah.

Leviticus 17:11
For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I myself have given it on the altar for you to make atonement for yourselves, because it is the blood that makes atonement by means of the life in it.

Leviticus 17:14
For the life of every sort of flesh is its blood, because the life is in it. Consequently, I said to the Israelites: “You must not eat the blood of any sort of flesh because the life of every sort of flesh is its blood. Anyone eating it will be cut off.”

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We are saved by Grace, it is not what we put in our mouths that defiles us. Christ's blood sacrifice transcends from the physical past into the timeless spiritual realm. Wine represents that blood and the bread, his body, they are symbolic.
So we really being eat His flesh and drink His Blood, we believe in Him.
After the early Church began in Jerusalem, there were legalistic Jewish Christians trying to convert Gentile Christians to conform to Judaism, but they failed! So they needed to make at least some multicultural dietary concessions.
These are the requirements the leadership of the church in Jerusalem places on Gentile Christians. They are not required for salvation. They are concessions to maintain unity so the Jewish Christians—who still follow the Mosaic law—can feel comfortable in community with Gentiles.

The restriction against eating food sacrificed to idols seems straightforward. You do that, it is as if you are worshipping a false god.

The restriction on blood started when Noah after the flood (Genesis 9:4). It is also in the Mosaic law:

"If any one of the house of Israel or of the strangers who sojourn among them eats any blood, I will set my face against that person who eats blood and will cut him off from among his people. For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it for you on the altar to make atonement for your souls, for it is the blood that makes atonement by the life. Therefore I have said to the people of Israel, No person among you shall eat blood, neither shall any stranger who sojourns among you eat blood" (Leviticus 17:10–12).

A strangled animal was one that was not properly butchered and still had the blood in the meat.
Spartans at the time ate a pork soup with blood. Some false religions included a ritual of drinking the blood of an animal to receive it's power and spirit after they killed it. That was what they meant by eating (and in some rituals, drinking) blood - not remnants left in the meat.
The Mosaic Law allowed only a small amount of blood to be consumed, the size of an olive. Blood still in the meat fibers that did not drain was acceptable.

So the council in Jerusalem sets standards for how Jews and Gentiles should be able to worship and live together in community. It is a multicultural Church so they had to set a few standards, which are the least burdensome (Acts 15:6–20). They emphasized that Gentiles do not need to convert to Judaism to receive salvation from Jesus. They just want them to make a few changes on their dietary practices. This is not for salvation, but to maintain unity and community in the Jewish-Gentile church.

BroRando said:

The mixing of souls is forbidden. “Only flesh with its soul—its blood—you must not eat.”

• Genesis 9:4. God allowed Noah and his family to add animal flesh to their diet after the Flood but commanded them not to eat the blood. God told Noah: “Only flesh with its soul—its blood—you must not eat.” This command applies to all mankind from that time on because all are descendants of Noah.
  

Leviticus 17:11
For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I myself have given it on the altar for you to make atonement for yourselves, because it is the blood that makes atonement by means of the life in it.

Leviticus 17:14
For the life of every sort of flesh is its blood, because the life is in it. Consequently, I said to the Israelites: “You must not eat the blood of any sort of flesh because the life of every sort of flesh is its blood. Anyone eating it will be cut off.”

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Blood is the life of the physical body, not of the soul. Your Genesis 9:4 cite is corrupt. Was that that quoted from the jw bible?

Ronald David Bruno said:

We are saved by Grace, it is not what we put in our mouths thay defiled us. Christ's blood sacrifice transcends from the physical last into the spiritual realm. Wine represents that blood and the bread, I'm his body, they are symbolic.

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Besides, no one is eating the vaccine.

Much love!

BroRando said:

Speaking against Holy Spirit is not forgivable... it makes me think you are trying to heal a wounded conscience.


Teachings of Jesus Christ about Holy Spirit

• "For this reason I say to you, every sort of sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the spirit will not be forgiven." (Matthew 12:31)
• "For example, whoever speaks a word against the Son of man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the holy spirit, it will not be forgiven him, no, not in this system of things nor in that to come." (Matthew 12:32)

Teaching of the Holy Spirit:

• "Abstain . . . from blood. If you carefully keep yourselves from these things, you will prosper. Good health to you!” (Acts 15:28-29)

Samuel then said: “Does Jehovah take as much pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of Jehovah? Look! To obey is better than a sacrifice, and to pay attention than the fat of rams;” (1 Samuel 15:22)

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You take a commandment, turn it into something which it's not, then use this to hold guilty those who are not. Condemning those whom God holds innocent.

The commandment was concerning eating. Plain and simple.

God honor's His Word. We should also. The more I read from you, the more I see how you take passages out of context, and attribute meanings to them that they do not themselves contain.

Much love!