<< Previous | Index | Next >>"STUDYING WITH JWs" INTRODUCTION 1. It not uncommon for members of the Watchtower Society to come to your front door... a. Who refer to themselves as "Jehovah's Witnesses" b. A term I hesitate to use, as they've neither seen Jehovah nor do they speak for Him 2. Their zeal is commendable... a. They strongly believe in their faith b. They desire to share their faith with everyone -- Yet zeal alone will not save one - cf. Ro 10:1-3 3. Our heart's desire and prayer should be for their salvation... a. That they might know the truth concerning God's righteousness b. For which reason we ought to be glad for opportunities to study with them 4. Yet most opportunities to study with JWs are frustrating and unfruitful... a. Differences regarding basic Bible doctrines are many b. Discussions rarely make progress, and often become heated [Why is this so? What can be done about? Is there anyway to lead a JW to "the way of God more accurately" (cf. Ac 18:26)? I don't have all the answers, but the following thoughts might be helpful...] I. THE CHALLENGE IN STUDYING WITH JWs A. THEIR DOCTRINE IS DIFFERENT... 1. Their views differ on many Biblical subjects, for example: a. The deity of Christ, the person of the Holy Spirit b. The nature of man, death, and hell c. The bodily resurrection of Christ d. The second coming of Christ 2. Their diverse doctrines make it difficult to communicate a. We may use the same words, but they mean something different to a JW b. E.g., salvation, spirit, soul, Son of God -- This makes it easy to wrangle over words, no matter what the topic, even the simple gospel plan of salvation! B. THEIR AUTHORITY IS DIFFERENT... 1. They claim to follow the Bible, but... a. They accept only their translation (New World Translation) as reliable, which is slanted to support their peculiar doctrines b. They accept only those Biblical resources approved by their organization c. They do not consider the Bible alone as a sufficient guide to learn the truth 2. So with any topic of discussion... a. They will accept only what is supported by their translation, their approved Bible study aids b. They will not accept any view, even Scripture, that counters the official belief of their organization -- This makes any effort to discuss the Bible and what it teaches to be fruitless and frustrating [Unless we can agree on the same standard of authority, any effort to study the Bible with JWs or anyone else will not be productive. Understanding this will help us to realize what is...] II. THE TASK IN STUDYING WITH JWs A. HELP THEM SEE THE STANDARD OF THEIR AUTHORITY... 1. That their authority is the Executive Committee (EC) of the Watchtower Society a. That they believe only the EC is capable of properly interpreting the Bible b. That they must accept whatever interpretation is handed down by the EC 2. In this regard, they are not much different from other religious groups who have a standard of authority different from just the Bible alone a. Roman Catholics accept the authority of the pope, and church traditions b. Mormons accept the authority of Joseph Smith, and succeeding presidents of their church c. Many Protestants accept the authority of their creeds, catechisms, councils, synods, etc. -- Their standard of authority is what separates one religious group form another; the JWs are no different, and we must help them see that! B. HELP THEM SEE THE DEFICIENCY OF THEIR AUTHORITY... 1. This is the same task required with anyone who accepts a standard of authority outside the Bible alone; for example: a. A Roman Catholic would have to see the fallibility of the pope and their traditions b. Mormons would have to see that Joseph Smith was a false prophet c. Protestants who claim to believe in sola scriptura (the Scriptures alone), would need to be shown where their creeds, manuals, etc., contradict the Bible 2. With JWs, this involves demonstrating: a. That the Watchtower Society considers the EC to be God's inspired spokesman or prophet today, who alone is able to properly understand the Bible b. That the EC has made many prophetic statements based upon their interpretations which have not come to pass -- We must help them see that the EC therefore fails the test of a prophet or spokesman for God, and qualifies as a false prophet who is not to be heeded - cf. Deut 18:20-22 C. HELP THEM SEE THE SUFFICIENCY OF THE SCRIPTURES ALONE... 1. This is the same task with anyone who has been dependent upon some other source for authority in religion a. They must be convinced that the Bible can be understood by all alike b. While there are parts that are difficult, what is necessary for salvation is clear 2. The problem is many people fall under the control of an authoritarian organization... a. Before they have read much of the Bible themselves b. Then told they cannot understand it on their own -- We must develop confidence in the Bible as a book that can be understood, and was written to be understood by the average person [With these thoughts in mind, I offer the following...] III. SUGGESTIONS FOR STUDYING WITH JWs A. REVIEW THEIR DEPENDENCE UPON THE EC FOR THEIR AUTHORITY... 1. You might ask these questions: a. Do you believe that anyone, anywhere, who just had a Bible, and no other literature, could understand it and be saved? b. Can the Bible be interpreted correctly only by the Watchtower? c. Are you allowed to read material by ex-Jehovah's Witnesses? 2. Some other questions that might help: a. Do you believe the New World Translation is the only reliable translation? (note: they do accept the old American Standard) b. Are you willing to consider Bible resources other than those approved by the Watchtower Society? -- An honest JW will admit his or her dependence upon the EC for their authority B. REVIEW PROPHETIC CLAIMS OF THEIR AUTHORITY... 1. They believe the Watchtower Society is God's prophet today a. "So, does Jehovah have a prophet to help them, to warn them of dangers and to declare them things to come? These questions can be answered in the affirmative." (They Shall Know That A Prophet Was Among Them, The Watchtower, Brooklyn, NY, April 1, 1972, p. 197) b. "He had a 'prophet' to warn them. This 'prophet' was not one man, but a body of men and women...Today they are known as Jehovah's Christian witnesses." (ibid., p. 197) c. "...this group of anointed followers of Jesus Christ, doing a work in Christendom paralleling Ezekiel's work among the Jews, were manifestly the modern-day Ezekiel, the 'prophet' commissioned by Jehovah to declare the good news of God's Messianic kingdom and to give warning to Christendom." (ibid., p. 198-199) d. "...Jehovah's witnesses today make their declaration of the good news of the Kingdom under angelic direction and support ...And since no word or work of Jehovah can fail, for he is God Almighty, the nations will see the fulfillment of what these witnesses say as directed from heaven." (ibid., p. 200) e. "Yes, the time must come shortly that the nations will have to know that really a 'prophet' of Jehovah was among them." (ibid., p. 200) f. "...Jehovah is interested not only in the vindication of his own name, but also in vindicating his 'prophet'." (ibid., p. 200) 2. They believe the Watchtower Magazine is how God communicates to people today a. "Its pages gleam with Scriptural and prophetic truths now due to be published for the education, comfort and guidance of all who desire to take their stand (and hold it) on the side of God and His Son, Earth's Rightful Ruler." (from an advertisement for The Watchtower). b. "Those who believe that God uses 'The Watchtower' as a means of communicating to his people, or of calling their attention to his prophecies, should study 'The Watchtower' with thankfulness of heart and give Jehovah God and Christ Jesus all the honor and credit and give neither honor or credit to any man." (The Watchtower, Brooklyn, NY, January 1, 1942, p. 5) 3. An honest and informed JW believes the following: a. Their organization has been anointed and commissioned to be God's 'prophet' b. They are under angelic direction and support, directed from heaven c. God helps them to understand the Bible through The Watchtower magazine d. That God will vindicate them as His 'prophet' -- Just as Mormons look to Joseph Smith as a prophet, so JWs look to their organization as a prophet of God today. Do they pass the test of a prophet (cf. Deut 18:20-22)? C. REVIEW PROPHETIC FAILURES OF THEIR AUTHORITY... 1. What was supposed to happen to churches in 1918? a. "Until 1878 the nominal church had been in a sense God's sanctuary or Temple; but He was from then on, culminating in 1918, to remove it with a stroke or plague of erroneous doctrines and deeds Divinely permitted." (The Finished Mystery, Watchtower Bible And Tract Society, Brooklyn, NY, 1917, p. 484-485) b. "Also, in the year 1918, when God destroys the churches wholesale and the church members by millions, it shall be that any that escape shall come to the works of Pastor Russell to learn the meaning of the downfall of 'Christianity'." (ibid.) 2. Who was supposed to be resurrected in 1925? a. "That period of time 1575 before A.D. 1 of necessity would end in the fall of the year 1925, at which time the type ends and the great antitype must begin. What, then, should we expect to take place?" (Millions Now Living Will Never Die, Watchtower Bible And Tract Society, Brooklyn, NY, 1920, p. 88-91) b. "The chief thing to be restored is the human race to life; and since other Scriptures definitely fix the fact that there will be a resurrection of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and other faithful ones of old, and that these will have the first favor, we may expect 1925 to witness the return of these faithful men of Israel from the condition of death, being resurrected and fully restored to perfect humanity and made the visible, legal representatives of the new order of things on earth." (ibid.) c. "Therefore we may confidently expect that 1925 will remark the return of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and the faithful prophets of old, particularly those named by the Apostle in Hebrews chapter eleven, to the condition of human perfection." (ibid.) 3. What was supposed to happen in 1975? a. "According to this trustworthy Bible chronology six thousand years from man's creation will end in 1975, and the seventh period of a thousand years of human history will begin in the fall of 1975 C.E." (Life Everlasting - In Freedom Of The Sons Of God, p. 29) b. "That millennium will bring a sabbathlike rest to the earth and all those then inhabiting it." (AWAKE, 8 October 1968, p. 14) c. "Are we to assume from this study that the battle of Armageddon will be all over by the autumn of 1975, and the long-looked-for thousand-year reign of Christ will begin by then? Possibly, but we wait to see how closely the seventh thousand-year period coincides with the sabbathlike thousand-year reign of Christ...It may involve only a difference of weeks or months, not years." (Why Are You Looking Forward To 1975?, The Watchtower, August 15, 1968, Brooklyn, NY, p. 499) d. "Reports are heard of brothers selling their homes and property and planning to finish out the rest of their days in this old system in the pioneer service. Certainly this is a fine way to spend the short time remaining before the wicked world's end." (Kingdom Ministry, May 1974, p. 3) 4. How do JWs try to deflect criticism for such mistakes? a. By saying they admit their mistakes, while false prophets do not b. That early Christians in Acts made mistakes, yet were spoken of with approval c. By claiming that they have been given "new light" to guide them more accurately d. But no prophet of God made mistakes when it came to prophesying the future! e. JWs want the authority of a prophet without the accountability of a prophet! 1) They want people to heed the words of the Society as authoritative and final 2) They don't want people to to apply the test of a prophet to them -- At worst, the Watchtower Society is a false prophet; at best, it is an unreliable interpreter of Scripture that has demonstrated its gross mishandling of the Word of God time and again! D. REVIEW THE ALL-SUFFICIENCY OF THE SCRIPTURES... 1. The Scriptures were written to be understood, that one might: a. Know the certainty of what happened - Lk 1:1-4 b. Believe in Jesus, and have life in His name - Jn 20:30-31 c. Have an apostle's understanding of the "mystery of Christ" - Ep 3:3-5 d. Understand the will of God - Ep 5:17 e. Know they have eternal life - 1Jn 5:13 2. The Scriptures are an all-sufficient guide for our salvation a. The whole counsel of God has been preached - cf. Ac 20:27 b. All things pertaining to life and godliness has been given - cf. 2Pe 1:3 c. The Word can save us, and help us grow - Jm 1:21; 1Pe 2:2 d. That incorruptible Word lives and abides forever - 1Pe 1: 22-25 e. It has been revealed once for all - Jude 3 f. Not even angels or modern apostles have anything new to add - Ga 1:8,9 -- The Scriptures are able to make the man of God "complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work" - 2Ti 3:16-17 CONCLUSION 1. This lesson is not intended to present an exhaustive and complete response to the errors of the Watchtower Society; rather, it is has been my purpose to... a. Identify why efforts to study with them are often so frustrating b. Suggest where one needs to begin, if true progress is to be made 2. Once a JW is willing to accept the all-sufficiency of the Scriptures, and not be dependent upon the Watchtower Society to tell them what to believe... a. Then it might be fruitful to study fundamental issues b. Such as the deity of Christ, the plan of salvation, etc. Otherwise, we might easily find ourselves engaged in behavior contrary to that admonished by the apostle Paul: "But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife. And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will." (2Ti 2:23-26) For more information, you might also find this website helpful: Jehovah's Witnesses Exposed http://www.bible.ca/jw.htm<< Previous | Index | Next >>
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