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How do I Reach Jehovah Witnesses for Christ?

Who are they?

Jehovah's Witnesses was started by Charles Taze Russell in the late 1800's and is also called The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society. Members pass out millions of Bibles (their "translation" of it) and tracts annually!

What do they believe?

About the Bible?

Jehovah's Witnesses believe that modern translations of the Bible are wrong. They believe that only their version, The New World Translation, is correct.

Biblical view:

The Bible alone is the word of God. It is without error. It cannot be added to or subtracted from (2 Timothy 3:16-4:4; Revelation 22:18-20).

About the Trinity?

Jehovah's Witnesses believe that God's personal name is Jehovah (this is a false name for God. It is properly translated "Yahweh"). They believe that Jesus Christ is a god, but not the God of the Bible, and that the Holy Spirit is an active force (rather than a real Person).

Biblical view:

There is one God and yet three Persons (Isaiah 45:5; Deuteronomy 6:4; James 2:19).

About Jesus?

Jehovah's Witnesses believe that Jesus Christ is not "Jehovah" God, but the first son that "Jehovah" brought forth. He is a god, but not the only God.

Biblical view:

Jesus is fully God and fully man. He is not a god. He is the God of the universe (John 1:1, 14,18;8:58;10:30. Compare Titus 2:13 and Isaiah 45:21).

Note: John 1:1 says, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God." The translators of the New World Translation misinterpreted the end of this verse by adding an "a": "the Word was a god." According to the vast majority of Greek language scholars, this is a poor translation.

About salvation?

Jehovah's Witnesses believe that eternal life (not in heaven, but on earth) is achieved through a combination of faith and good deeds (as defined by the Watchtower organization).

Biblical view:

Salvation is by faith in Christ on the basis of His death on the cross. Good works have nothing to do with being saved (John 3:16,17,36; 6:29,47; Romans 4:1-5; Galatians 2:16; Ephesians 2:8,9; Titus 3:5).

How to witness to them:

  • Read My Difficult Friend
  • Use the four basic questions as outline in My Difficult Friend
  • Remember that the Jesus of the Bible and the Jesus of the Watchtower are totally different. For instance, the Jesus of the Watchtower is a created being, the firstborn of God (literally "first created"), and did not rise from the dead physically, but spiritually. His real identity is Michael the archangel.

The Jesus of the Bible is fully God, the second Person of the Trinity. He is one in essence with the Father and the Spirit. He is the firstborn of God in the sense of His position. But Jesus Christ is not a created being. He has always existed as a member of the Trinity. Jesus rose literally and physically from the dead. He is fully God and fully man, yet without sin!

Various questions to ask Jehovah's Witnesses:

"If The New World Translation is a reliable translation, then why...

  1. ...won't the Watchtower release the names of all of the translators?"
  2. ...do Hebrew and Greek scholars view it as a horrible translation?"

"If Jesus Christ is not God (on par with 'Jehovah'), then why...

  1. ...did Jesus take the personal name of God (found in Exodus 3:14) in John 8:58?"
  2. ...did Jews try to stone Jesus twice for claiming to be 'Jehovah' God (once in John 8:59 and once in John 10:31-33)?"
  3. ...does John 12:41 say that Isaiah saw the glory of Jesus when Isaiah 6:1 says that he saw the glory of the LORD ('Jehovah')?"
  4. ...does Paul call Jesus 'our great God and Savior' in Titus 2:13 when Isaiah 45:21 says, '...and there is no God apart from me, a righteous God and a Savior; there is none but me.'?"

Recommended Reading:

  1. The Kingdom of the Cults, Dr. Walter Martin. Minneapolis, MN: Bethany Fellowship, 1968.
  2. Open Letter to a Jehovah's Witness, Roy B. Zuck. Chicago: Moody, 1986.
  3. Fast Facts On False Teachings, Ron Carlson and Ed Decker. Eugene, OR: Harvest House, 1994.
  4. Reasoning from the Scriptures with the Jehovah's Witnesses, Ron Rhodes. Eugene, OR: Harvest House, 1996.
  5. A Ready Defense, Josh McDowell. San Bernardino, CA: Here's Life Publishers, Inc., 1990.