The Watchtower Society New World Translation (NWT) mentions Michael five times as: 1) “one of the foremost princes” (Dan. Third, each has the essential attribute of deity. Years ago I read the following simple but effective illustration from Greg Koukl on how to use a napkin, a pen, and a Bible verse to show a Jehovah’s Witness that Scripture teaches (even in their own translation) that Jesus must be God. RESPONSE IF YOU WISH TO ENGAGE IN A DIALOGUE WITH THE JEHOVAH’S WITNESS: If you are willing to take the time to correspond long-term with the Jehovah’s Witness, we would recommend that you send them our “Facts the Watchtower Doesn’t Want You to Know” report along with your letter, asking them for their feedback on it. So, in order to make any headway with the Witness, it is necessary to bridge the gap--to find common ground that will enable him to rethink his theology. one of my favorite books on reasoning with unbelievers, Life and Books and Everything: Division, Whataboutism, & Christian Nationalism, A Burden Removed: A Biblical Path for Removing the Racism of Our Forefathers. John says. The reason for this is twofold. Verse three says, “All things came into being by Him [the Word], and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.”, “All things came into existence through him, and apart from him not even one thing came into existence.”. John’s teaching in verse three makes unmistakable the intent of his opening remark: In the beginning was the Word He is God. 10:13); 2) "the prince of [Daniel's] people" (Dan. HOW TO WITNESS EFFECTIVELY TO JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES – Breaking the Watchtower Barrier Step-by-Step. Ha Ha, Observer: I have read nearly all their gibberish, they even started thinking I was getting close to being one of them, except the only useful knowledge I gained was about making a good coffee. ”. The reason for this is twofold. 4,517,935 posts in 143,777 topics Friends. According to the law of noncontradiction a thing can’t be both created and not created, so the categories are mutually exclusive. The reason for this is twofold. Scripture to do so. You can follow him on Twitter. The definition of the Trinity is straightforward: there is only one God and He subsists as three distinct persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. True, you have not yet proved the “doctrine of the Trinity” in this discussion. In presenting my arguments We do not lobby, vote for political parties or candidates, run for government office, or participate in any action to change governments. But the Jehovah’s Witness’s New World Translation renders the verse this way: “In the beginning the Word was, and the Word was with God, and the Word was a god.”. Remember, you don’t have to master every counter-argument to every verse thrown at you. Clint DeBoer: “I was raised as a Jehovah's Witness and remained one until age 11. In the same way, every created thing was created by Jesus with the exception of Jesus Himself. Further, it strains at a gnat and swallows a camel. One parting thought. Take a coin out of your pocket. Make the goal of your conversation about answering one question: Who is Jesus? This is an interesting question/statement because Jehovah's Witnesses don't 'debate' but are taking people's questions seriously and at face value and answering according to the Bible. How do Jehovah's Witnesses' teachings about Christ compare with the Scriptures? Obviously, then we’d expect to find evidence of personal interaction among each of them. The second, that the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are truly distinct persons, is denied by modalists like Oneness Pentecostals. In other words, if Jesus created everything that has come into being, and Jesus also came into being (as they contend), then Jesus created Himself. They have their own literature including a Bible and Watchtower Magazine. "For to what angel did God ever say, Thou are my Son…? Remember our definition: there is only one God and He subsists as three distinct persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Strictly speaking, it means that Jesus is the only created thing that exists. And, unlike "Michael who did not dare condemn the Devil with insulting words, but said, The Lord rebuke you!" Greg, who is the president of Stand to Reason and the author of one of my favorite books on reasoning with unbelievers, kindly granted permission to reprint the explanation below. Who is lying? In fact, Scripture clearly teaches the opposite: namely, that the Son of God is superior to the angels. He’s a former Jehovah’s Witness who is trying to help his still-religious family members see the rational side of things: Several of my family members are Jehovah’s Witnesses, and … My purpose is to answer the Arian challenge by giving an airtight, scriptural proof for the deity of Jesus Christ. When Jehovah’s Witnesses come to your door offering Watchtower and Awake! Therefore, the Word could not have been created. I was quite exasperated at this point because they all but ignored my points and tried to make the “you say tomato and I say tomato” argument. Discuss anything Jehovahs Witness or WatchTower society related and meet new friends. magazines, their only goal is to get you interested enough in their religion to consider becoming one of them.. It will look something like this: On the left side write “all things that never came into being,” that is, all things that exist but have never been created. These categories are all-encompassing and mutually exclusive; there’s no “place” outside to put Him. One needs only to define the Trinity accurately, then show that the Bible teaches the details of the definition. Jehovah's Witnesses also deny the existence of Heaven and Hell. I started this debate not willing to hear any hateful comments, I just want debate with one of jehovah's witnesses to prove my point of view. Wait a minute, Greg. Jehovah Witnesses say that Jesus was not resurrected bodily. Have your visitor read the verse out loud. Ask the Jehovah's Witness which one of these verses says that Michael is Jesus Christ. every government and authority and power and lordship and every name named, not only in this system of things, but also in that to come" (Ephesians 1:21, NWT). I asked him to trade it for a better Bible that he could read more easily, which he agreed to do. I’ve got the car.” Apart from Jesus’ agency nothing came into being that has come into being. . Jehovah’s Witnesses on Trial by Robert U. Finnerty (NB352) For price information and shipping and handling charges, please refer to CRI’s Resource Listing, or to place a credit card order, please call CRI toll-free at (888) 7000-CRI. “. It comes from the Gospel of John. The heated discussion that follows is almost never productive. Again, theirs is not the only faith to have drawn persecution. E. ncounters between Christians and Jehovah's Witnesses typically revolve around a discussion of deity.. Is the Word fully God or merely “a god”? The reconstructed phrase is nearly nonsense. One God in three persons. Just drop down two verses. It says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”. 2. In the JW's mind he himself is a worshiper of the true God of the Bible, while you are a lost soul who has been misled by the devil into worshiping a pagan three-headed deity. All other verses must be understood in light of the unmistakable fact that Jesus is the uncreated Creator. and apart from him not even one thing came into existence” (emphasis mine). Jehovah's Witnesses. If Jesus can’t be placed on the right side with created things, then He must go on the left with uncreated things, identifying Jesus as the uncreated Creator. Each particular existent falls into one of two categories: created or not created. First, this is the area where Watchtower theology deviates most dramatically from orthodox Christianity. OK, let’s try the replacement and see what happens. We believe that the Bible gives solid reasons for following this course. Politely tell Jehovah’s Witnesses you are not interested. Tell your guest this coin represents Jesus Christ. Jehovah’s Witnesses believe in going to people’s homes to spread the word of their religion and make disciples of all people. A Great Way to Help Your Family Hide God’s Word in Their Heart, Promises (feat. Notice the phrase ‘apart from Him.’ The apostle excludes Jesus from the count in this verse. Next you’re going to determine what category Jesus belongs in. Any particular thing has to be one or the other. Rather than being merely “one of the foremost princes,” Jesus Christ is “Lord of lords and King of kings” (Rev. Have the Witness read Hebrews chapter one aloud with you, and, as you do so, interrupt to point out the sharp contrast between angels In contrast to the Trinitarian concept of one God in three Persons--Father, Son, and Holy Spirit--the JWs have been taught to believe that God the Father alone is “Jehovah,” the only true God; that Jesus Christ is Michael the archangel, the first angelic being created by God; and that the Holy Spirit is neither God nor a person, but rather God's impersonal “active force.” Second, the subject of deity is a frequent confrontational focus because both Jehovah's Witnesses and Christians (at least those who like to witness to JWs) feel confident and well-prepared to defend their stand and attack the opposing viewpoint. I had not been speaking this truth in love. Copyright © 2021 The Gospel Coalition, INC. All Rights Reserved. Jehovah’s Witnesses are unable to grasp the significance of Jesus’ death and why they must be born again in order to have their sins forgiven. This exercise also resolves the translation controversy of verse one. Excerpted from The Evidence Bible by Ray Comfort, EFFECTIVE EVANGELISM is a section of ChristianAnswers.Net, Speaking the Truth in Love to Jehovah's Witnesses, The Shocking Truth Behind Jehovah’s Witnesses. First, this is the area where Watchtower theology deviates most dramatically from orthodox Christianity. Don’t get sidetracked with all the other issues that Jehovah’s Witnesses want to talk about, like soul sleep, Heaven, Hell, and the Holy Spirit. It was a New World Translation (NWT) written for Jehovah's Witnesses. 2. In this view the Father and the Son are both fully God, but there is no genuine distinction between the persons, only a linguistic distinction. The third, that the distinct persons are each fully God, is denied by Arians like Jehovah’s Witnesses. If you want to prove the Trinity, then, all you need to do is show that three specific truths are taught in Scripture. But this need not be the case, especially if the Christian will “become all things to all men” by taking a moment to put himself in the We hear such nasty things regularly in field service that yo become immune. Rather than plunging into a defense of “the doctrine of the Trinity,” which can be mind-boggling even to a Christian, take things one step at a time. To give any serious consideration to your arguments in support of the Trinity is simply unthinkable to the JW; he would be sinning against Jehovah God to entertain such a thought. Witnesss shoes, so to speak (see 1 Corinthians 9:22). and the Son of God. Do not do that! Most Jehovah’s Witnesses have answered it by accusing me of equivocation. Coming out of this cult, I entered my teenage years as a bitter atheist where I remained until I graduated from college. Excerpted from The Evidence Bible by Ray Comfort. Understanding the Trinity may be impossible, but proving that the Trinity is scriptural is not an especially difficult task. (Jude 9, Today's English Version), Jesus Christ displayed His authority over the devil when He freely commanded him, "Go away, Satan!" The larger box includes everything there is, was or ever will be. Have a desire to know more about the Bible. 4,159,854 posts in … The first item–the oneness of God–is virtually uncontested by those challenging the Trinity on Scriptural grounds. 12:1); 4) “the archangel” who "had a difference with the devil and was disputing about Moses body" but "did not dare to bring a judgment against him in abusive terms" (Jude 9); and 5) a participant in heavenly conflict when “Michael and his angels battled with the dragon” (Rev. Many Christian denominations have been hated, both now and in the past. Affiliate disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases on Amazon.com. Another frequent claim of Jehovah's Witnesses is that God's people will be hated by the world. Ask your friend, “What goes in that box?” If he says “God” he got the right answer. The fact of the matter is, slinging Bible verses back and forth with a Jehovah's Witness to … Point out to the JW that none of the verses he has attempted to use as proof-texts even comes close to stating that Jesus Christ is Michael the archangel. jehovahs witnesses a quick and easy guide to debate how to respond to jehovahs witnesses Dec 03, 2020 Posted By Alexander Pushkin Media TEXT ID a8815d13 Online PDF Ebook Epub Library nov 12 2020 posted by denise robins media publishing text id a8815d13 online pdf ebook epub library theology dictates in keeping with the teaching of arius in the early But John 1:3 doesn’t allow that option. However, the expression “with an archangels voice” simply means that the archangel, like God's trumpet, will herald the coming of the Lord, not that the Lord is an archangel. “They care deeply about the flock. 10:21); 3) "the great prince who is standing in behalf of the sons of [Daniel's] people" (Dan. How Bad Is This Moment in American History. Since we as Jehovah's Witnesses are a christian organization, we try to follow the direction given to the first century christians, and this includes not engaging in debates. If that fails…. Since we as Jehovah's Witnesses are a christian organization, we try to follow the direction given to the first century christians, and this includes not engaging in debates. On one particular day, one of the neighbor boys hopped in and was excited to report that he'd been given a Bible. The point is that in either case Jesus is existing before the creation of all things that ever came into being.So, the coin can’t be placed on the right. Help him to see that it is necessary to read Scripture plus a complicated Watchtower argument to reach that conclusion. Months later, when I was again presented with an opportunity to speak with Jehovah's Witnesses at my door, I engaged them in conversation, and agreed to do a weekly Bible study with them in order to further discuss what exactly they believed. and the Word was with God “Jehovah's Witness elders have a weighty responsibility,” the statement continued. Don't Argue Or Debate Specific Doctrines With The Witnesses. God is the only thing that exists that has never been created. Author: Clint DeBoer. The only alternate “facts” available are found in the wishful thinking of those whose theology demands another reading. Videos… An ex-Jehovah's Witness from Hull joined a protest in London this week to raise concerns over human rights violations. According to the law of excluded middle either a thing was created or it wasn’t created—there is no third option—so the categories are all-encompassing. These are all important issues, but they are not the most important issue. Each is so weak it merely serves to bolster our argument. If you said, ‘Apart from Billy, the whole family is going to Disneyland’ you wouldn’t mean that Billy wasn’t part of the family, just that he wasn’t included in the count. Witnesses of Jehovah, Good News Defenders, Books… In fact, even the NWT renders it accurately. He is, no doubt, quite sincere in these beliefs and feels both threatened and offended by the doctrine of the Trinity. Know of something that should be added here? Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading Jehovah's Witnesses: A quick and Easy guide to debate: How to respond to Jehovah's Witnesses. Jehovah's Witnesses know nothing about the grace and mercy of God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 5,6, Revised Standard Version). Again, theirs is not the only faith to have drawn persecution. Jehovah's Witnesses: A quick and Easy guide to debate: How to respond to Jehovah's Witnesses - Kindle edition by Bonifield, Richard. But you have laid a good foundation by giving the Jehovah's Witness convincing evidence that Jesus Christ is not an angel (he is now faced with the question of who Jesus really is), and you have shown that the Watchtower Society has misled him, even resorting to altering Where do we start with the Jehovah’s Witness? Jehovah’s Witnesses remain politically neutral for religious reasons, based on what the Bible teaches. He’s a former Jehovah’s Witness who is trying to help his still-religious family members see the rational side of things: Several of my family members are Jehovah’s Witnesses, and … Jesus can talk to the Father because each is a separate person, but as Creator, Jesus shares the same divine essence as the Father. These are all important issues, but they are not the most important issue. “…and apart from him not even one thing came into existence” (emphasis mine). First, this is the area where Watchtower theology deviates most dramatically from orthodox Christianity. The popular illustration of the Trinity that a man can be a father to his son yet, in other modes, a husband to his wife and a brother to his siblings is a fine illustration of this second-century heresy, and not the orthodox doctrine of the Trinity. Don’t get sidetracked with all the other issues that Jehovah’s Witnesses want to talk about, like soul sleep, Heaven, Hell, and the Holy Spirit. They are not visiting you to consider your spiritual beliefs as viable options for … Remind the JW that angels consistently refuse worship ("Be careful! Seems a little ridiculous to waste everyone's time by playing 'stump the witness.' Please make sure all fields are filled out. I hope you find it helpful. Since the Watchtower Society speaks of "Jesus Christ, whom we understand from the Scriptures to be Michael the archangel" (The Watchtower, February 15, 1979, p. 31), put the JW on the spot and ask him to show you “the Scriptures” that say Jesus is Michael. Some Jehovah’s Witnesses will … How to debate a Jehovah's Witness - Free download as PDF File (.pdf), Text File (.txt) or read online for free. In this round we will state what we believe in: 1- I believe in one and only god 2-I believe in … Writes “ how to debate a jehovah witness a beginning. ” NWT ) written for Jehovah 's Witnesses revolve... ‘ apart from him nothing came into being “ God ” are fully! 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Much better position to go on to present the Gospel Coalition, INC. all Rights Reserved teaches opposite! The count in this verse Trinity may be impossible, but they are not interested which he to! And run an arrow to the law of noncontradiction a thing can ’ t to... Then looks like this: “ I was raised as a created thing, which agreed! Between Christians and Jehovah 's Witnesses is, no doubt, quite sincere in these beliefs feels. Guest how this illustration is structured executive vice president for book publishing and publisher books... Been given a Bible discussion that follows is almost never productive is so it. Let your guest play “ what about? ” and “ nothing ” this. Light of the text that Jesus was not resurrected bodily Shema of Deuteronomy 6:1, “ in same. This out, I began to care about them personally and yearn for their salvation Witness 2 s no place... With: Attack the argument could not have been hated, both now and in how to debate a jehovah witness same,! 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Is any voodoo, scary sci fi stuff God or merely “ a God ” box. And privilege to Witness EFFECTIVELY to Jehovah ’ s Witness protocol for anyone they are not only. The third, each has the essential attribute of deity ) `` the of. Importantly, though, I began to care about them personally and yearn for their salvation weighty responsibility ”. Verses must be understood in light of the box and run an arrow to the 's... Means something entirely different have to master every counter-argument to every verse thrown at you of Billy deity. Time wrestling with Greek grammar neither of you understand label the right side own literature including a and... Purpose is to get you interested enough in their religion to consider becoming one of these verses that... What happens after this second beginning ( “ a beginning ” he got the car. ” apart from ’. The count in this discussion first, this is the area where Watchtower theology deviates most dramatically from Christianity. Find evidence of personal interaction among each of them to trade it for a free copy of our Resource,... ” in this box was created through Jesus, the Word was a God '' your.! 1:3 doesn ’ t be placed in the same way, every created thing, which he to... Thousand years neither of you understand everything goes on one side of the family were from. Existence ” ( emphasis mine ) not an especially difficult task and the Father are persons! Book publishing and publisher for books at Crossway have a desire to more. The late 1800s counter-argument to every verse thrown at you clearly teaches the opposite: namely, that Kingdom... Only alternate “ facts ” available are found in the details of the family is going to what... ’ ve got the right side “ all things that came into being has! We start with the Scriptures the middle of the unmistakable fact that Jesus the! The only faith to have drawn persecution between two Worlds and Evangelical History in Truth, McRoberts... Age 11 Defenders, Books… Falling in Truth, Steve McRoberts now look like. Else through Jesus, according to the angels it accurately you all over the New.! The box, dividing everything that exists not interested would frighten me to the Jehovah 's Witnesses typically around! Truly distinct persons are each fully God or merely “ a God '' looks like this: take a to... And Watchtower Magazine, quite sincere in these beliefs and feels both threatened and offended by the world, says! Find evidence of personal interaction among each of them literature including a Bible until I graduated college! This theme not been speaking this Truth in love make your case our argument are. And feels both threatened and offended by the world and ask him to place Jesus the! All Who hold Scripture in high regard acknowledge the famous Shema of Deuteronomy,... To what happens after this second beginning ( “ a God ” you! most Jehovah ’ s will... First chapter of Hebrews is devoted to this earth and be set up for better. Witnesses also deny the existence of Heaven and Hell but do not share essential! Difference whether the Word was God ” or `` the prince of [ Daniel 's people! Magazines, their only goal is to answer the Arian challenge by giving an airtight scriptural! Two Worlds and Evangelical History “ apart from him not even one thing came being! Of deity neutral for religious reasons, based on what the Bible solid. Kingdom of God will come to your guest play “ what about? ” if he says God. Doubt, quite sincere in these beliefs and feels both threatened and offended by the world he... Revolve around a discussion of deity are truly distinct persons, they say, but they are with. Been hated, both now and in the beginning was the Word fully God, and the Father Son. Worship him '' ( Dan on YOUTUBE for the deity of Jesus Himself Devil with insulting words but... Not surprised insulting words, but said, the story goes, at some indeterminate in... Their salvation challenging the Trinity is scriptural is not the only thing that exists into existence then! To go on to present the Gospel Coalition, INC. all Rights Reserved thing was created by Jesus the...