Witnessing To A Jehovah's Witness-by Kevin Williams

Here are some helpful hints I've learned that are useful when witnessing to JW.

It is worth listening several times and familiarizing yourself with the arguments of these two excellent audios of Ray Comfort and Todd Friel witnessing to Jehovah's Witnesses. Both have been a great help to me and when witnessing to a JW or a Mormon, have helped to make great dents and seriously unsettle them in their faith in their false religions.

Click on Links to Play or Right Click-Save As to Download mp3.
13 min-Ray Comfort-Witnessing To A JW-"There's a Knife in my Back I've Got Three Minutes To Live".

7 min-Todd Friel-Witnessing to a JW. (From Terrified).

Other resources are this excellent audio by Charlie Campbell on The Deity of Christ. He basically takes the arguments that the JW's use against the Deity of Christ and turns them around.

It's also worth making sure you are studied up on the Doctrine of Hell (Text).

When there are two JW's on your doorstep, it is natural for us to talk mostly to the more experienced one, but instead direct your conversation and questions to the weaker apprentice.

Deity of Christ

Me: "Jesus claimed to be God".
JW: "No he didn't! Where did he say that!"
Me: "When the Rich Young Ruler went up to Him and Jesus said "Who are you calling good? God alone is good.""
JW: "How is that claiming to be God?"
Me: "Well do you agree God alone is good, it says so in the text?"
JW: "Yes."
Me: "Was Jesus good?"
JW: "Well...[you can almost hear a clang in their heads] ...He was good in a different way."
Me: "...The Bible teaches He led a sinless life, perfection, how good can you get? He Himself said I AM the Good Shepherd."

Hell.

JW's often take Scriptures completely out of context, an example is Ecclesiastes 9:5 "the dead know nothing" as if it somehow negates the rest of Scripture and teaches soulsleep.

JW: "The dead know nothing. So when we die we're not conscious."

Me: "What about the parable of the rich man and Lazarus?"
JW: "It's just a parable."
Me: "What when Jesus called hell a place of everlasting torment? How can you be tormented if you're not conscience? How can you be weeping and wailing and gnashing teeth, if you're not conscious? Do you think Jesus was lying?…"

They will then nearly always try and change the subject, and quote a Scripture about something completely different, but don't let them off the hook.

A Word of Warning.

Most of the tips on how to witness to JW's on apologetic websites are out of date, and the JW's have been advised how to explain these away. For instance one tip I used in the past was to attack the WatchTower organisation for their false prophecies. But because not only had the WatchTower instructed them on how to explain these away (they have more excuses than Richard Dawkins, if the WT told them the moon was really a giant apple they'd believe it) but because the WT had predicted Christians will bring up the false prophecies it only made them confident that their witness encounter was going to plan and therefore esteem the watchtower more highly for predicting so. Note: I'm not saying don't study the vast amount of information like this on Apologetic sites, it will be useful.

Trinity.

Learn the how to defend the Trinity and the Scriptures that teach it. Note: They most likely won't except any argument you give so don't get bogged down on it. They may then insist the Early Church Father's did not believe in the Trinity. When you say they did they may give you a booklet to read "Should You Believe In The Trinity" (Critique Below), which is full of false quotes of the Early Church Fathers and misinformation from start to end. Do some research on this. The point I use is that the JW's say that it's misrepresenting God to use LORD instead of Jehovah for God's Name yet despite the WatchTower organisation fully knowing that it's Trinity booklet is full of blatant lies and deception it continues to use it to deceive people. I also point out "so will you continue to misrepresent God, by using it, even though I've showed you it's full of blatant lies. Because the infallible Word of God makes it clear that all liars will have their part in the lake of fire, Rev 21:8.

If you're witnessing to them on your doorstep, be prepared for them to shoot off and leave (this is normal and in their training), but if you can, make an appointment for them to come back. Although, each time try to keep them with you as long as possible, remember whilst they're on your doorstep, they're not brainwashing your neighbour.

Pray.

Pray for them. They are real people who have been deceived by Satan.

Be On Your Toes.

Don't expect every witnessing encounter with a JW to be the same, as bare in mind they're all at different levels in how much they've been brainwashed. Whereas some would be fully convinced that donkey's are really from the planet Mars if the WT said so, others will be struggling with doubts. So be prepared to spend as little or as long as time with them as necessary.

Clear Terms.

Arguing about whether it's "Heaven" or the "Kingdom" is not likely to win vital ground, so like Ray Comfort in the audio above, I will use the term, "there's a knife in my back, I've got three minutes to live, how do I get into the Kingdom?"" Often they have still tried to give me a 10 minute JW theology lesson on "only the 144K" regardless, but I quickly point out I didn't say Heaven, I said Kingdom, and know what they believe regarding that.

Spend the Time Wisely.

Once to try and change the subject when she was pressed on Hell, a JW said "you've changed God's Name from Jehovah to LORD. Now, trying to win an argument on the Name of God is not going to win significant ground. So baring in mind we only have a limited amount of time I will say something like "Well the Lachish letters have proven to us God's Name is Yahweh, but that's another issue". What I am doing is unsettling them and sowing doubt and then bringing them straight back to the more important subject they were pressed on.

Change of Subject.

Everytime you get a JW into a corner, they are trained to change the subject. An example is, when hard pressed they might say something like "I'll just look for this verse... hang on, hang on... Here it is" and then they'll give you a verse absolutely nothing to do with what you have challenged them on. Don't let them off the hook.

Unsettle Them.

Like Todd Friel in the audio above, tell them "1 John makes it's clear you've got to have your theology about Jesus right and He clearly claimed to be God and I'd hate you to be one of those of whom Jesus said "Many will say to Me in that Day, Lord, Lord, didn't we..." and Jesus say to you "depart from me you worker of lawlessness, I never knew you!" and send you where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." The objection I've encountered to this is "Well Jesus was just talking about the Pharisees" To which it is good to reply, "No, they are false converts, and they're saying "but Lord, Lord, didn't we do this work to earn salvation, didn't we do that work..." they're trusting in their own works to save them, just like you are."

What the Watchtower wrote in their booklet "Should You Believe In The Trinity"	The Truth
The Catholic Encyclopedia also comments: "In Scripture there is as yet no single term by which the Three Divine Persons are denoted together. The word [tri'as] (of which the Latin trinitas is a translation) is first found in Theophilus of Antioch about A. D. 180. . . . Shortly afterwards it appears in its Latin form of trinitas in Tertullian." p5	What the JW booklet left out (in bold/underline): "The word [tri'as] (of which the Latin trinitas is a translation) is first found in Theophilus of Antioch about A. D. 180. He speaks of "the Trinity of God [the Father], His Word and His Wisdom" ("Ad. Autol.", 11, 15, P. G., VI, 1078). The term may, of course, have been in use before his time. Shortly afterwards it appears in its Latin form of trinitas in Tertullian."
However, this is no proof in itself that Tertullian taught the Trinity. p5	Tertullian real statements showing his beliefs: "All the Scriptures give clear proof of the Trinity, and it is from these that our principle is deduced...the distinction of the Trinity is quite clearly displayed." (Against Praxeas, ch 11) Tertullian: "God speaks in the plural 'Let us make man in our image' because already there was attached to Him his Son, a second person, his own Word, and a third, the Spirit in the Word....one substance in three coherent persons. He was at once the Father, the Son, and the Spirit." (Against Praxeas, ch 12)
What the Ante-Nicene Fathers Taught p7	The Watchtower failed to provide any references documenting where any of the Church Fathers made the statements they attribute to them. However, today's technology has made it somewhat easy for us, since the entire works of the early Church Fathers are available on CD and search capabilities are present. The Watchtower has loosely translated what the Fathers said but they can be found by using key-word search.
Justin Martyr, who died about 165 C.E., called the prehuman Jesus a created angel who is "other than the God who made all things." He said that Jesus was inferior to God and "never did anything except what the Creator . . . willed him to do and say." p7	This first statement is completely made-up. An invention of the watch tower. There is no record of Justin Martyr saying anything like this. Justin Martyr's real statements showing his beliefs: "The Father of the universe has a Son, who also being the first begotten Word of God, is even God." (Justin Martyr, First Apology, ch 63) "But both Him, and the Son (who came forth from Him and taught us these things, and the host of the other good angels who follow and are made like to Him), and the prophetic Spirit, we worship and adore." (Justin Martyr, First Apology, ch 6) Notice what else Justin says: "Worship God alone." (Justin Martyr, First Apology, ch 16) "Whence to God alone we render worship." (Justin Martyr, First Apology, ch 17)
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"Irenaeus, who died about 200 C.E., said that the prehuman Jesus had a separate existence from God and was inferior to him. He showed that Jesus is not equal to the "One true and only God," who is "supreme over all, and besides whom there is no other." p7	Irenaeus real statements showing his beliefs: "Christ Jesus is our Lord, and God, and Savior, and King." (Against Heresies, Book I, ch. 10, section 1) 180 AD Irenaeus "Proofs From The Apostolic Writings, That Jesus Christ Was One And The Same, The Only Begotten Son Of God, Perfect God And Perfect Man." (Against Heresies, Book III, ch. 16, Chapter Title) "Therefore neither would the Lord, nor the Holy Spirit, nor the apostles, have ever named as God, definitely and absolutely, him who was not God, unless he were truly God; nor would they have named any one in his own person Lord, except God the Father ruling over all, and His Son who has received dominion from His Father over all creation, as this passage has it: "The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit Thou at my right hand, until I make Thine enemies Thy footstool." Here the [Scripture] represents to us the Father addressing the Son; He who gave Him the inheritance of the heathen, and subjected to Him all His enemies. Since, therefore, the Father is truly Lord, and the Son truly Lord, the Holy Spirit has fitly designated them by the title of Lord. And again, referring to the destruction of the Sodomites, the Scripture says, "Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah fire and brimstone from the LORD out of heaven." For it here points out that the Son, who had also been talking with Abraham, had received power to judge the Sodomites for their wickedness. And this [text following] does declare the same truth: "Thy throne, O God; is for ever and ever; the scepter of Thy kingdom is a right scepter. Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity: therefore God, Thy God, hath anointed Thee." For the Spirit designates both [of them] by the name, of God — both Him who is anointed as Son, and Him who does anoint, that is, the Father." (Irenaeus. Against Heresies, Book 3, ch 6)
"Clement of Alexandria, who died about 215 C.E., called Jesus in his prehuman existence "a creature" but called God "the uncreated and imperishable and only true God." He said that the Son "is next to the only omnipotent Father" but not equal to him." p7	Clement NEVER calls Jesus "a creature" This is a BLATENT LIE Clement's real statements showing his beliefs: "There was then, a Word importing an unbeginning eternity; as also the Word itself, that is, the Son of God, who being, by equality of substance, one with the Father, is eternal and uncreated." (Clement, Fragments, Part I, section III, 190 AD) "I understand nothing else than the Holy Trinity to be meant; for the third is the Holy Spirit, and the Son is the second, by whom all things were made according to the will of the Father." (Clement, Stromata, Book V, ch. 14) 'For both are one — that is, God. For He has said, "In the beginning the Word was in God, and the Word was God." (The Instructor, Book 1, ch 8)
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Tertullian, who died about 230 C.E., taught the supremacy of God. He observed: "The Father is different from the Son (another), as he is greater; as he who begets is different from him who is begotten; he who sends, different from him who is sent." He also said: "There was a time when the Son was not. . . . Before all things, God was alone. p7	The first part of this is taken from: Tertullian. Part Second, Section 7. Against Praxeas, Chapter 9. UNBELIEVABLY not only does Tertullian say in the same passage: "I testify that the Father, and the Son, and the Spirit are inseparable from each other." (Tertullian. Part Second, Section 7. Against Praxeas, Chapter 9.) But the 2nd part: "There was a time when the Son was not. . . ." was NEVER said by Tertullian and is actually a quote from: Bishop Kaye, (Date 1845) "Account of the Writings of Tertullian," The Ante-Nicene Fathers, Vol. 3, p. 1181 In the same writing Kaye even wrote: ""Tertullian's opinions were generally coincident with the orthodox belief of the Christian Church on the great subject of the Trinity in Unity" (p. 1180); "the Reason and Spirit of God, being the substance of the Word and Son, were co-eternal with God" (p. 1181); AND the 2nd half of that sentence in the WatchTower booklet: "….Before all things, God was alone." is taken from a completely different writing. The quote, in context, reads: 'There are some who allege that even Genesis opens thus in Hebrew: "In the beginning God made for Himself a Son.' As there is no ground for this, I am led to other arguments derived from God's own dispensation, in which He existed before the creation of the world, up to the generation of the Son. For before all things God was alone — being in Himself and for Himself universe, and space, and all things. Moreover, He was alone, because there was nothing external to Him but Himself. Yet even not then was He alone; for He had with Him that which He possessed in Himself, that is to say, His own Reason…. I may therefore without rashness first lay this down (as a fixed principle) that even then before the creation of the universe God was not alone, since He had within Himself both Reason, and, inherent in Reason, His Word, which He made second to Himself by agitating it within Himself" (Against Praxeas, ch. 5) Tertillian real statements showing his beliefs: "All the Scriptures give clear proof of the Trinity, and it is from these that our principle is deduced...the distinction of the Trinity is quite clearly displayed." (Against Praxeas, ch 11) "[God speaks in the plural 'Let us make man in our image'] because already there was attached to Him his Son, a second person, his own Word, and a third, the Spirit in the Word....one substance in three coherent persons. He was at once the Father, the Son, and the Spirit." - (Against Praxeas, ch. 12.) Page 3 of 4
Hippolytus, who died about 235 C.E., said that God is "the one God, the first and the only One, the Maker and Lord of all," who "had nothing co-eval [of equal age] with him . . . But he was One, alone by himself; who, willing it, called into being what had no being before," such as the created prehuman Jesus.p7	Firstly "the created prehuman Jesus" was never said in any of Hippolytus' writings. Hippolytus real statements showing his beliefs: "Beside Him there was nothing; but He [God], while existing alone, yet existed in plurality." (Hippolytus, Against Noetus, Part 10) "The Logos is God, being the substance of God." – (Refutation of all Heresies, Book X, ch. 29.) "For Christ is the God above all..." - (Refutation of all Heresies, Book X, ch 30.) "He who is over all, God blessed, has been born, and having been made man. He is God forever. For to this effect John also has said, 'Which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.' And well has he named Christ the Almighty." - (Against Noetus, Part 6)
Origen, who died about 250 C.E., said that "the Father and Son are two substances . . . two things as to their essence," and that "compared with the Father, [the Son] is a very small light." p7	Origen did not write this but precisely the opposite. Origens' real statements showing his beliefs: "For we do not hold that which the heretics imagine: that the Son was procreated by the Father from non-existent substances, that is, from a substance outside Himself, so that there was a time when He did not exist." – (De Principis, Book V, Summary, section 28.) "Saving baptism was not complete except by the authority of the most excellent Trinity of them all, i.e., by the naming of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit." - (De Principis, Book I, ch. 3, section 2.) "Nothing in the Trinity can be called greater or less, since the fountain of divinity alone contains all things by His word and reason, and by the Spirit of His mouth sanctifies all things which are worthy of sanctification." – (De Principis, Book I, ch. 3, section 7.)
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