# jehova witness



## Joern (Aug 20, 2016)

Hello, 

I am meeting with JWs. Has anyone here have any experience reaching out to them?
Any book recommendations? 
I am currently re-reading "kingdom of the cults" written by walter martin as well as "holy trinity" - letham and "on the trinity" - augustine. 
I also wonder if anyone understands their strange theology? Especially the JW understanding of the biblical narrative seems very strange, please direct me to the right resources. 
May God be glorified.


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## timfost (Aug 20, 2016)

This book is excellent and deals with the cults from a reformed perspective.

https://www.amazon.com/Four-Major-C...&qid=1471727682&sr=8-4&keywords=Hoekema+cults


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## Scott Bushey (Aug 20, 2016)

Joern said:


> Hello,
> 
> I am meeting with JWs. Has anyone here have any experience reaching out to them?
> Any book recommendations?
> ...



Most people allow the JW's to lead the conversation-in essence, dealing with their argumentation and on their stomping ground. What I do is go directly after their Arminianism right out of the chute. Since they generally come to your home by knocking, I will allow them to come in as long as they understand they are in my home-it's not their house!

They will try and redirect you and take you away from God's sovereignty, election and justification by faith alone-don't get sidetracked. Stay on point. 

The last time a JW came here, I had the two of them arguing with each other.


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## Alan D. Strange (Aug 20, 2016)

Two things:

Robert Bowman is a solid evangelical who has done some of the best work on JWs. I recommend his several books dealing with them.

Having said that, however, I would urge you to be very careful in interacting with them in detail. You are under no obligation to do so whatsoever. And you should only do so under the most controlled of circumstances (as Scott B. suggested): your home, your rules, you're in charge. Even then, unless you are quite forceful and willing to withstand them (and understand not only the Bible but theology and history fairly well) and also have the clear gifts of teaching and polemics, I would not engage them as you are doing.

I would encourage most laypersons to consider engaging such only with competent orthodox pastors and teachers present. The command of I Peter 3:15 is not a command that means you must engage and refute apostates or heretics. Rather it means just what it says: you must be ready to answer those who genuinely wish to understand your hope (thus not pearls before swine). Otherwise, I would give a clear orthodox testimony to the JWs, a good explanation of the gospel (something like "Ultimate Questions") and invite them to your church to hear the truth proclaimed by those called to do so. 

Peace,
Alan


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## Jerusalem Blade (Aug 20, 2016)

I think Pastor Strange is right. It is needful to be knowledgeable as to their teachings, and sound Christian doctrine. If not, have a pastor or experienced apologist with you. Scott's approach may be quite valuable.

Last time they came to visit, I had my copy of the little book they like to use for their "Bible Studies"—_What Does the Bible _Really_ Teach?_—on the table, along with my copy of their Bible and their Greek-English interlinear.

I told them in effect, "My purpose for your visit here is to convert you to the Biblical Jesus Christ, if you are interested in being saved by Jehovah God." I didn't want to spend weeks or months wrangling. If my time was freer I might have proceeded otherwise, and given them more time.


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## Ryan&Amber2013 (Aug 20, 2016)

From my experience, if both sides are simply looking to trump one another with their stances, this is not beneficial at all. I would just use two points to give them the true Gospel, and if they reject it, anything more will be giving pearls to swine. 

1. Ask them to tell you what the true Gospel is numerous times. They will most likely tell you about the kingdom and such. Say, are you sure this is what the gospel is? Then share with them the gospel from the Bible in 1 Cor 15.
Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 
2. Then tell them they have a different Gospel from the Bible and that is the central focus of the Bible. You can share Gal 1:8. 
But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed.

They will tell you that that is part of the Gospel, but you gave them numerous times to say what the Gospel truly is. I think this is enough to make them realize their foundation is not even Biblical. If they don't change, then you are wasting time. If they are willing to see the truth, then that is awesome and give it to them.


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## TheOldCourse (Aug 21, 2016)

Alan D. Strange said:


> Two things:
> 
> Robert Bowman is a solid evangelical who has done some of the best work on JWs. I recommend his several books dealing with them.
> 
> ...



That's an interesting interpretation of 1 Pt 3, doesn't the context of the passage suggest that the answer is primarily to those who oppose (and even persecute) the faith rather than to sincere inquisitors? 

Regardless, I give a wholehearted amen to the substance of your response.


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## MichaelNZ (Aug 22, 2016)

I spoke to two of them a few weeks ago. They had a copy of _What Does the Bible Really Teach_? That book is a basic introduction to Watchtower theology. A response to the book, called _Response to What Does the Bible Really Teach?_ , written by someone called Wilbur Lingle, is available here at the Internet Archive. Lingle reviews the material and provides a Christian response to it, along with questions to ask the JWs when they present the material to you. He tries to use questions that the Witnesses aren't expecting, rather than focusing on areas they're trained to respond to, like the Trinity and the Deity of Christ.


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## Alan D. Strange (Aug 22, 2016)

TheOldCourse said:


> That's an interesting interpretation of 1 Pt 3, doesn't the context of the passage suggest that the answer is primarily to those who oppose (and even persecute) the faith rather than to sincere inquisitors?


.

The context is indeed that of persecution, clearly so. Persecutors, however, would not in that context be apostates or heretics. They would be pagans opposing Christians who then wish to know what it is that makes such Christians tick. They want to know what is the source of their evident hope even in the face of persecution. 

I did not say in my answer that such were "sincere inquisitors" (your words), if by such you mean someone like the Phillipian jailer. Even such persecutors, however, do "genuinely wish to understand your hope" (my words), meaning that they are trying to figure out why, even in the face of such opposition, you can evince hope and this is an opportunity to speak to it. 

The apologetic encounter has often been in such circumstances and this does not mean that those seeking such a reason for the hope of Christians have not done so with a genuine desire to understand such. This is quite a different matter from those who are heretics or apostates. 

Peace,
Alan


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## Gesetveemet (Aug 22, 2016)

.

I no longer play Bible ping pong with the cults. I just try to present death in Adam and life in Christ and explain to them that we need a new heart and only God can give it as we are powerless. Salvation is a life changing event we must be made anew head knowledge alone is not sufficient.

Blessings,
William


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## yeutter (Aug 22, 2016)

I confront cultists like Latter Day Saints, and Jehovah's Witnesses; when we are in Thailand, or Nepal: and tell them they are preaching a false Gospel. If they are open to talking, [most aren't] then I will talk with them later. I use the ASV when I talk with JWs. It removes the name of God question from the agenda. I have found John H. Gerstner's book on the cults helpful in outlining where the cults depart from the historic Christian faith.


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