JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES AT YOUR DOOR?
While this is not a study about the history of the Jehovah’s witnesses, nor is it a study of their doctrine, for that I ask you to visit this site for information on the group: http://dougdoddsbg.com/religion/denominations/jehovah-witnesses-american-cult
Charles Russell founded the group in 1876 with a few students, later the group would grow into millions. It is surprising to see that many people join something without getting background information into what they are placing their eternal faith into. Where we spend eternity should be an important issue with anyone, and making the wrong choices concerning life after our physical death is very dangerous. And after taking a look at their doctrine, and what they place their faith in; there is no salvation found within their doctrine. The group does not understand the righteousness of God and His grace through our faith, instead they would rather work their way into “the kingdom” of God, remember unbelieving Israel tried to do the same thing.
Rom 10:1 Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.
Rom 10:2 For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.
Rom 10:3 For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.
Rom 10:4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.
So when the Jehovah witnesses come knocking at your door what do you do? Do you answer it? Or when you are approached in the street do you just take the material and hope the conversation doesn’t last too long? The first thing they will ask is “did you know God has a name?” Well we all know God has many names, and each name is called upon for specific circumstances that come up in the lives of an Israelite (a study on the 7 compound Jehovah names can be found in the “understanding Israel’s program” study), but I give them the verse in Psalms 138 to show that God places more emphasis on His “word” in truth, than on His name.
Psa 138:2 I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.
The first thing you want to do is show this person that their bible (the new world translation) is not the “word of truth”. We will compare verses with the King James Bible and show additions, deletions, and confusion in the new world translation.
Heb 3:16 For some, when they had heard, did provoke: howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses.>K.J.V.
Heb.3:16 For who were they that heard and yet provoked to bitter anger? Did not, in fact all do so who went out of Egypt under Moses?> N.W.T.
Num 14:6 And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of them that searched the land, rent their clothes:
Num 14:7 And they spake unto all the company of the children of Israel, saying, The land, which we passed through to search it, is an exceeding good land.
Num 14:8 If the LORD delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey.
Num 14:9 Only rebel not ye against the LORD, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and the LORD isy with us: fear them not.
See the difference? We all know that “not all” of Israel provoked, Caleb and Joshua did not provoke God, which text is right? Here we see two verses that say something totally different from the other, the fact of the matter is; we not only find one of these two verses to be an out-right lie, but it is blasphemous to say that God said something that He did not.
3Mar 1:1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God;
Mar 1:2 As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.
Mar 1:3 The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. >K.J.V.
Mark1:1[The] beginning of the good news about Jesus Christ: 2Just as it is written in Isaiah the prophet: “(Look! I am sending forth my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way;) 3listen! someone is crying out in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way of Jehovah, YOU people, make his roads straight,’”>N.W.T.
Mal 3:1 Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts.
Isa 40:3 The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
Here you have an addition, Mark 1:2 says “As it is written in the prophets” in the King James version, which is the correct assessment to make due to the fact that the first part of Mark 1:2 is found in Malachi 3:1, and the second part of the verse is found in Isaiah 40:3, so it is correct when the verse says “prophets” (plural). The New World translation has “Just as it is written in Isaiah the prophet:” which would be the wrong conclusion to come up with because verse 3 is not written in Isaiah the prophet. Here you have another out-right lie found within the pages of the New World Translation, when the verse says “Isaiah the prophet”. Another interesting note is that we know that this verse is talking about John the Baptist, and Jesus Christ coming six months after, but in the NWT they use the name Jehovah as the one who will come after John! Ask them to explain that one!
When a New World Translation bible student comes to Mark 16:9 they have a major decision to make, they have to decide which “conclusion” is the word of God, or to decide whether or not God said it at all. The N.W.T. has a “short conclusion”, “long conclusion”, and then it says some versions “omit”, often I ask Jehovah Witnesses what they do when they come to Mark 16:9, usually they will say they will get back to me on the answer, or try to avoid the question all together. This is a prime example of confusion found on the pages of the N.W.T.:
SHORT CONCLUSION
Some late manuscripts and versions contain a short conclusion after Mark 16:8, as follows: N.W.T.
LONG CONCLUSION
Certain ancient manuscripts (ACD) and versions (VgSyc,p) add the following long conclusion, but which ?BSysArm omit: N.W.T.
The reason the translators came up with different “conclusions” on Mark 16:9 was because of verses 17 and 18, here you find Jesus preparing His apostles for the time when there will be great tribulation in that day, and Israel will be again proclaiming the gospel “of the kingdom”. Verses 17 and 18 contain the words “cast out devils”, “take up serpents”, and “drink anything deadly”. Even though these are the words of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the translators questioned what the Lord said; they felt that only part of the “commission” could be true, because it would be suicide if a pastor, preacher, pope, or any other man that said he was ‘sent from God’ tried to do what the “commanded”, so they decided among themselves what the Lord really meant to say.
Mar 16:9 Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils.
Mar 16:10 And she went and told them that had been with him, as they mourned and wept.
Mar 16:11 And they, when they had heard that he was alive, and had been seen of her, believed not.
Mar 16:12 After that he appeared in another form unto two of them, as they walked, and went into the country.
Mar 16:13 And they went and told it unto the residue: neither believed they them.
Mar 16:14 Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen.
Mar 16:15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
Mar 16:16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
Mar 16:17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;
Mar 16:18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.
Mar 16:19 So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.
Mar 16:20 And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.>K.J.V.
Below is an interesting verse found in the N.W.T. because you have a question being asked, but the next verse is deleted by the translators. So if a N.W.T. bible student wants to know the answer to the question in verse 36, he would have to find a King James Bible to get the answer.
Acts 8:36Now as they were going over the road, they came to a certain body of water, and the eunuch said: “Look! A body of water; what prevents me from getting baptized?” 37—— >N.W.T.
Act 8:36 And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?
Act 8:37 And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. >K.J.V.
One of the main reasons the Jehovah Witnesses do not believe in the trinity is because it is removed in their text.
1JN 7For there are three witness bearers,: 8 the spirit and the water and the blood, and the three are in agreement.>N.W.T.
1Jn 5:7 For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.
1Jn 5:8 And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one. >K.J.V.
In the N.W.T. it says “For there are three witness bearers” the K.J.V has the correct translation because it talks of three “that bear witness” in heaven, and three that “bear witness” on the earth.
Gen. 4:8After that Cain said to Abel his brother: [“Let us go over into the field.”] So it came about that while they were in the field Cain proceeded to assault Abel his brother and kill him >N.W.T.
Above we see a verse in the N.W.T. that not only is an addition, but it is an assumption based upon what man thought would ‘shed more light’ on what took place that day, below we see what the word of God in truth says, notice it never says what they talked about:
Gen 4:8 And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.>K.J.V.
Here is a verse that is puzzling because I find myself wondering what don’t they believe about this verse, and why don’t they believe that the Lord said it to begin with.
.Matt.18:11—— >N.W.T.
Mat 18:11 For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost. >K.J.V.
Jehovah Witnesses will tell you that there are errors within the K.J.V. but they will only go to one verse:
Act 12:2 And he killed James the brother of John with the sword.
Act 12:3 And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also. (Then were the days of unleavened bread.)
Act 12:4 And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people.
The K.J.V. is the only text that has the word “Easter” in verse 4, the Greek word used here is “pascha”; meaning “Passover”, so when people see this they say “see there is an error right there”, but the K.J.V. translators got it right. In verse 3 it says that it was “the days of the unleavened bread”, and then in verse 4 it says that the “pascha” was to follow. In the Law God told Israel that the “Passover” was to be first then later the “days of the unleavened bread” would come, which is contrary to what was going on in Acts 12:2-4. Herod was having a pagan feast day, that’s why when the word “pascha” was translated as Easter because Luke is speaking on the intentions of King Herod, what he intended to do after his pagan ‘Passover’, and this “pascha” should not be confused with the LORD’s “Passover”.
Lev 23:4 These are the feasts of the LORD, even holy convocations, which ye shall proclaim in their seasons.
Lev 23:5 In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the LORD’S passover.
Lev 23:6 And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto the LORD: seven days ye must eat unleavened bread. >K.J.V.
Jehovah Witnesses refuse to acknowledge the deity of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, but there are many verses (even in the N.W.T.) that prove the deity of Jesus, we cannot look at them all because of time limitations but here are a few:
Act 20:28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.
Who is the “he” here? Who purchased the church of God with “his own blood”? The Holy Ghost? Or is it God Himself?
Isa 43:11 I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour.
Isa 44:6 Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.
Isa 44:7 And who, as I, shall call, and shall declare it, and set it in order for me, since I appointed the ancient people? and the things that are coming, and shall come, let them shew unto them.
Isa 44:8 Fear ye not, neither be afraid: have not I told thee from that time, and have declared it? ye are even my witnesses. Is there a God beside me? yea, there is no God; I know not any.
Notice how the LORD the “King of Israel”, and His redeemer the “LORD of hosts” both speak as one in the same, saying “; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God”, and further down the verses they both speak as ONE.
Joh 20:27 Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.
Joh 20:28 And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.
Is it possible for the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ to be both Lord and God?
Tit 1:3 But hath in due times manifested his word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Saviour;
Tit 1:4 To Titus, mine own son after the common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour.
Tit 2:10 Not purloining, but shewing all good fidelity; that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things.
Tit 2:13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
Tit 2:14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
Tit 3:4 But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,
Tit 3:6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;
Notice how many times throughout the epistle to Titus a verse will say “God our Saviour” and then will say “Jesus Christ our Saviour”, which one is the “Saviour”? Remember in the verses we looked at earlier God said “beside me there is no savior”. In Titus chapter 2:13 talks about that “glorious appearing” which is when Christ comes back to rapture His church, here it says that the “great God” and “Jesus Christ”, the verse is clearly talking about the same person because the next verse says that “he” gave “himself” so that “he” can purify unto “himself” saints that are willing to let the word of God “work effectually” within them. To end the study I want give you verses that show that the group Jehovah Witnesses are not qualified to be called “witnesses”, in this dispensation when people are proclaiming the gospel of “reconciliation” to the unsaved we are to be called “ambassadors”, not “witnesses”.
2Co 5:18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
2Co 5:19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
2Co 5:20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.
2Co 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
Luk 24:47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
Luk 24:48 And ye are witnesses of these things.
Luk 24:49 And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.
They can’t use this verse because first of all they are to begin “at Jerusalem”, second of all they are to wait in “the city of Jerusalem” until they receive “power from on high”.
Act 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
The next few verses show that there were special qualifications that had to be met for one to be called a “witness” of the Lord. One would to have accompanied Jesus Christ during His three year earthly ministry
Act 2:31 He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.
Act 2:32 This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.
Act 3:14 But ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you;
Act 3:15 And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses.
Act 5:31 Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.
Act 5:32 And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.
Act 10:38 How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.
Act 10:39 And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged on a tree:
Act 13:30 But God raised him from the dead:
Act 13:31 And he was seen many days of them which came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are his witnesses unto the people.
Israel knew that their Christ and God the Father would be one in the same, Israel’s rulers also knew this, John 10:24 and John 10:32 testifies to that, but they did not believe that this Jesus was the Christ.
Joh 10:24 Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly.
Joh 10:32 Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me?
Joh 10:33 The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.
By Rod Jones