K
King James
Guest
They are coming around my neighborhood a lot and are writing me letters. Also, I get talked to at my work as well.
Christian Forums
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Desire to be a vessel of honor unto the Lord Jesus Christ?
Join For His Glory for a discussion on how
https://christianforums.net/threads/a-vessel-of-honor.110278/
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Taking the time to pray? Christ is the answer in times of need
https://christianforums.net/threads/psalm-70-1-save-me-o-god-lord-help-me-now.108509/
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Depending upon the Holy Spirit for all you do?
Read through the following study by Tenchi for more on this topic
https://christianforums.net/threads/without-the-holy-spirit-we-can-do-nothing.109419/
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How are famous preachers sometimes effected by sin?
Join Sola Scriptura for a discussion on the subject
https://christianforums.net/threads/anointed-preaching-teaching.109331/#post-1912042
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"Witnessing to Jehovah's Witnesses - what is the key?"
Answer: Jehovah’s Witnesses say they are the only true Christians, but they are neither Protestant nor Catholic. The fundamental doctrinal issue that distinguishes them from orthodox Christianity is the Trinity. They say it is a pagan teaching, but they misrepresent it, saying that the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit must be three gods. They actually agree with the Trinity doctrine when it says that the Father and the Son are two Persons, but imagine they need to prove this to Trinitarians! They fail to grasp how the three Persons comprise the One Being of God, and so they come up with the idea of a Big God and a little god – two gods. They say Jesus was created (Arianism) and was Michael the archangel and that Jesus’ body was not resurrected; it simply disappeared and He rose as a spirit creature. They say the Holy Spirit is not a person but is Jehovah’s active force or energy.
Because they say that Jesus is a demi-god, their understanding of salvation and atonement is wrong. They say Jesus, who was a perfect Man, died only to atone for the sin of Adam and that when we die, our death pays the penalty of our own sin. Only some 10,000 Jehovah’s Witnesses today can possibly claim to be born-again and have a heavenly hope. The rest say they don’t want to go to heaven to be with the Lord but they want to live forever on a paradise earth (Restorationism). They believe if they remain faithful and obedient till the end of the Millennial Reign of Christ Jesus, they will ‘earn the right to be declared righteous’ and that’s why they have to keep on striving, with no assurance of salvation. Only today’s ‘remnant’ of the 144,000 can say they are in the new covenant, and that Christ Jesus is their mediator. All must be obedient to the leaders (the Watchtower Society and its Governing Body) if they wish to survive Armageddon. To disagree with what they say is to disagree with Jehovah because He uses them as His sole channel of communication to dispense ‘the truth.’ Only they saw ‘with spiritual eyes of discernment’ that Christ Jesus started to rule from heaven in 1914, an invisible ‘second presence.’ Also, they say Christ Jesus will never return to earth, but will remain in heaven, there to rule with the 144,000 over the earth.
With all these unbiblical beliefs, where does one begin to witness to a Jehovah’s Witness? There is only one place to begin—with the person of Christ Jesus, whose deity is the foundation of Christianity. 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. Before they can put all their trust in the finished work of Christ Jesus, they have to understand they are not saved, which means they are presently lost in their sin. No Witness has the assurance of salvation which is the gift of the Holy Spirit to those who belong to the Father through Christ (Romans 8:16). The full deity of Jesus Christ can only be revealed to them by the Holy Spirit, who they relegate to commodity status, like electricity. To the Witnesses, the Holy Spirit is a “thing,” not a Person.
Witnessing to the Witnesses must be done in Christian love and with compassion. Remember, they have been deceived and believe a false gospel, yet many have a genuine love for God and are utterly sincere in their beliefs. Do not be afraid of them (1 John 4:17-19), but let them know how much you care about their eternal salvation. Share your Christian testimony with them. Talk to them, discuss spiritual matters with them, but do not allow them to conduct what they describe as a Bible study, which is actually a study of their literature. Be aware they will not read any non-Watchtower literature or attend a church service. They say they will only accept what the Bible says, but their New World Translation has been drastically altered to reflect their theology, and every reference in the New Testament to the deity of Christ Jesus has been removed. It always comes as a surprise to them to meet people who love the Lord, display the fruit of the Spirit, and use the Bible as the basis for their faith (Hebrews 4:12). Speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15). Direct all your conversation to the person of Christ and the need to put total faith in what He has done. Do not allow them to lead you down the path they wish you to take, namely, considering how you can survive Armageddon to live on a paradise earth. This is not the gospel. Above all else, pray for them.
Read more: http://www.gotquestions.org/witnessing-Jehovahs-Witnesses.html#ixzz2tozqljHS
Answer: Jehovah’s Witnesses say they are the only true Christians, but they are neither Protestant nor Catholic. The fundamental doctrinal issue that distinguishes them from orthodox Christianity is the Trinity. They say it is a pagan teaching, but they misrepresent it, saying that the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit must be three gods. They actually agree with the Trinity doctrine when it says that the Father and the Son are two Persons, but imagine they need to prove this to Trinitarians! They fail to grasp how the three Persons comprise the One Being of God, and so they come up with the idea of a Big God and a little god – two gods. They say Jesus was created (Arianism) and was Michael the archangel and that Jesus’ body was not resurrected; it simply disappeared and He rose as a spirit creature. They say the Holy Spirit is not a person but is Jehovah’s active force or energy.
Because they say that Jesus is a demi-god, their understanding of salvation and atonement is wrong. They say Jesus, who was a perfect Man, died only to atone for the sin of Adam and that when we die, our death pays the penalty of our own sin. Only some 10,000 Jehovah’s Witnesses today can possibly claim to be born-again and have a heavenly hope. The rest say they don’t want to go to heaven to be with the Lord but they want to live forever on a paradise earth (Restorationism). They believe if they remain faithful and obedient till the end of the Millennial Reign of Christ Jesus, they will ‘earn the right to be declared righteous’ and that’s why they have to keep on striving, with no assurance of salvation. Only today’s ‘remnant’ of the 144,000 can say they are in the new covenant, and that Christ Jesus is their mediator. All must be obedient to the leaders (the Watchtower Society and its Governing Body) if they wish to survive Armageddon. To disagree with what they say is to disagree with Jehovah because He uses them as His sole channel of communication to dispense ‘the truth.’ Only they saw ‘with spiritual eyes of discernment’ that Christ Jesus started to rule from heaven in 1914, an invisible ‘second presence.’ Also, they say Christ Jesus will never return to earth, but will remain in heaven, there to rule with the 144,000 over the earth.
With all these unbiblical beliefs, where does one begin to witness to a Jehovah’s Witness? There is only one place to begin—with the person of Christ Jesus, whose deity is the foundation of Christianity. 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. Before they can put all their trust in the finished work of Christ Jesus, they have to understand they are not saved, which means they are presently lost in their sin. No Witness has the assurance of salvation which is the gift of the Holy Spirit to those who belong to the Father through Christ (Romans 8:16). The full deity of Jesus Christ can only be revealed to them by the Holy Spirit, who they relegate to commodity status, like electricity. To the Witnesses, the Holy Spirit is a “thing,” not a Person.
Witnessing to the Witnesses must be done in Christian love and with compassion. Remember, they have been deceived and believe a false gospel, yet many have a genuine love for God and are utterly sincere in their beliefs. Do not be afraid of them (1 John 4:17-19), but let them know how much you care about their eternal salvation. Share your Christian testimony with them. Talk to them, discuss spiritual matters with them, but do not allow them to conduct what they describe as a Bible study, which is actually a study of their literature. Be aware they will not read any non-Watchtower literature or attend a church service. They say they will only accept what the Bible says, but their New World Translation has been drastically altered to reflect their theology, and every reference in the New Testament to the deity of Christ Jesus has been removed. It always comes as a surprise to them to meet people who love the Lord, display the fruit of the Spirit, and use the Bible as the basis for their faith (Hebrews 4:12). Speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15). Direct all your conversation to the person of Christ and the need to put total faith in what He has done. Do not allow them to lead you down the path they wish you to take, namely, considering how you can survive Armageddon to live on a paradise earth. This is not the gospel. Above all else, pray for them.
Read more: http://www.gotquestions.org/witnessing-Jehovahs-Witnesses.html#ixzz2tozqljHS
"Witnessing to Mormons - what is the key?"
Answer: As a preface to this answer, please see our article on Mormonism and what Mormons believe. As Christians, we always want to use the Bible and its timeless truths as our primary tool in witnessing the love of God and salvation through Christ. One of the problems with trying to witness to Mormons is that they believe that the Bible was hopelessly corrupted through the years and is no longer reliable. Although we can say with confidence that the Scriptures are most certainly not corrupted—due to the manuscript evidence in the form of the Dead Sea Scrolls, several codices of the various portions of the biblical text, and thousands of other manuscripts—Mormons are most likely not going to agree to that. Therefore, approaching Mormons from another direction is the most effective.
It is important to understand that Mormons use many of the terms that Christians use, such as salvation, justification, heaven, and others. But their definitions are quite different from the biblical definitions we are familiar with. For instance, Mormons say they believe in salvation by grace through faith in Christ. But their idea of salvation is inclusive—everyone has been saved by Christ so that they will live eternally, but it is each person’s works which will determine where they will spend eternity and the extent of their eternal blessings. Clearly, salvation as the Bible explains it is not the same as the Mormon idea of salvation. This is why arguing doctrine with a Mormon is rarely successful.
The key to reaching the heart of a Mormon is to understand that while they may appear confident and self-assured on the outside, internally many are filled with stress and doubt because they are continually striving for perfection. This is partly driven by Mormon doctrine and partly by family pressures. Family is extremely important to Mormons and living up to both family and church standards is a motivating factor to many Mormons. Deep down inside most Mormons is the fear of not being good enough, not measuring up. The question in every Mormon’s mind is “Am I worthy enough?” The best thing to do is to reinforce that doubt. Show them that by their own efforts, they are not even close to being worthy to stand before a holy God. This is the essence of the Christian gospel, the bad news that has to precede the good news. Show them from the Scriptures that all their “righteous acts are like filthy rags” (Isaiah 64:6), that “no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law” (Romans 3:20), and that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). If the Mormon will admit to these truths, he/she should be open for the good news of the true gospel of Jesus Christ, that real righteousness only comes at the cross, where God exchanged our sin for the righteousness of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21). No other righteousness can stand before God on Judgment Day. Once a Mormon, or anyone else for that matter, admits these truths, he/she is well on the way to understanding true salvation.
While it is important for us to be diligent in our proclamation of truth, it is also important for us to put the results of witnessing to others in the hands of our God, who is able to “save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through Him” (Hebrews 7:25). We can rest assured that ultimately it falls upon the Spirit to sway the hearts of those who are lost and open their eyes to Truth. Our job is to “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect” (1 Peter 3:15), trusting God with the words that we are to say, praying diligently for the souls of those we witness to, and leaving the results to Him.
Read more: http://www.gotquestions.org/witnessing-Mormons.html#ixzz2tp0DnPpL
Answer: As a preface to this answer, please see our article on Mormonism and what Mormons believe. As Christians, we always want to use the Bible and its timeless truths as our primary tool in witnessing the love of God and salvation through Christ. One of the problems with trying to witness to Mormons is that they believe that the Bible was hopelessly corrupted through the years and is no longer reliable. Although we can say with confidence that the Scriptures are most certainly not corrupted—due to the manuscript evidence in the form of the Dead Sea Scrolls, several codices of the various portions of the biblical text, and thousands of other manuscripts—Mormons are most likely not going to agree to that. Therefore, approaching Mormons from another direction is the most effective.
It is important to understand that Mormons use many of the terms that Christians use, such as salvation, justification, heaven, and others. But their definitions are quite different from the biblical definitions we are familiar with. For instance, Mormons say they believe in salvation by grace through faith in Christ. But their idea of salvation is inclusive—everyone has been saved by Christ so that they will live eternally, but it is each person’s works which will determine where they will spend eternity and the extent of their eternal blessings. Clearly, salvation as the Bible explains it is not the same as the Mormon idea of salvation. This is why arguing doctrine with a Mormon is rarely successful.
The key to reaching the heart of a Mormon is to understand that while they may appear confident and self-assured on the outside, internally many are filled with stress and doubt because they are continually striving for perfection. This is partly driven by Mormon doctrine and partly by family pressures. Family is extremely important to Mormons and living up to both family and church standards is a motivating factor to many Mormons. Deep down inside most Mormons is the fear of not being good enough, not measuring up. The question in every Mormon’s mind is “Am I worthy enough?” The best thing to do is to reinforce that doubt. Show them that by their own efforts, they are not even close to being worthy to stand before a holy God. This is the essence of the Christian gospel, the bad news that has to precede the good news. Show them from the Scriptures that all their “righteous acts are like filthy rags” (Isaiah 64:6), that “no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law” (Romans 3:20), and that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). If the Mormon will admit to these truths, he/she should be open for the good news of the true gospel of Jesus Christ, that real righteousness only comes at the cross, where God exchanged our sin for the righteousness of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21). No other righteousness can stand before God on Judgment Day. Once a Mormon, or anyone else for that matter, admits these truths, he/she is well on the way to understanding true salvation.
While it is important for us to be diligent in our proclamation of truth, it is also important for us to put the results of witnessing to others in the hands of our God, who is able to “save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through Him” (Hebrews 7:25). We can rest assured that ultimately it falls upon the Spirit to sway the hearts of those who are lost and open their eyes to Truth. Our job is to “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect” (1 Peter 3:15), trusting God with the words that we are to say, praying diligently for the souls of those we witness to, and leaving the results to Him.
Read more: http://www.gotquestions.org/witnessing-Mormons.html#ixzz2tp0DnPpL
K
King James
Guest
anyone else?
If you are addressing me you are so welcome Edward...
Ask both JWs and Mormons if Jesus is God; both believe He was created. Mormons believe Jesus was the brother of Satan, JW's believe Jesus was "a god." Mormons believe that white people are better than black, and JW's say there are only 144,000 going to heaven; they're both wrong. Me Indian and I know I'm the best; HOW!!!
Seriously, show them Who Jesus is. While showing one JW Isaiah 40:3 out of their own bible they said that can’t be. I don’t even give them the chance to go into all the rest of their garbage, and yes; it is garbage from the angel Maroni to Joseph Smith of the Mormons, and Charles Russel Taze, and Judge Joseph Rutterford of the JW’s. Just Google a little on these men
Isa 40:3 The voice of him (John the Baptist) that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD (Jesus is Jehovah), make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
Isa 43:11 I, even I (Jesus), am the LORD (Jehovah); and beside me there is no saviour.
Acts 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name (than Jesus) under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved
Seriously, show them Who Jesus is. While showing one JW Isaiah 40:3 out of their own bible they said that can’t be. I don’t even give them the chance to go into all the rest of their garbage, and yes; it is garbage from the angel Maroni to Joseph Smith of the Mormons, and Charles Russel Taze, and Judge Joseph Rutterford of the JW’s. Just Google a little on these men
Isa 40:3 The voice of him (John the Baptist) that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD (Jesus is Jehovah), make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
Isa 43:11 I, even I (Jesus), am the LORD (Jehovah); and beside me there is no saviour.
Acts 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name (than Jesus) under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved
K
King James
Guest
I guess I asked the question wrong. I just wanted to know how to politely get rid of them.
Edward
2024 Supporter
I used to have a real good reply for them when they were coming around all the time, but it's been so long since they've come...dangit I can't remember.
I had a couple of mormon women came to my front porch once.I happened to be outside and I saw them coming up the walk.I simply told them that I believe in Jesus Christ the risen Son of God and that I believe that Jesus Christ died on the Cross for my sins.Their eyes got kind of big and they said "Ok,thank you have a nice day" and left.
Dear Brother King James, I’m sorry if I sounded impolite, but would you attempt to talk to them on their terms of saying Jesus is not God? That's exactly what they believe. To get anywhere with them they must believe Who Jesus really is.
Jesus when tempted of the devil replied with the following in Mat 4:7, Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. Do you think arguing the fact that their prophesies of JW Joseph Rutherford building a mansion in San Diego for resurrected Old Testament prophets will accomplish anything? Will they listen to your preaching? Give it a try. Surely you have nothing in common with then in their interpretation of the bible do you?
They do not believe in the God of the bible we do, and I might as well give credence to the practice of someone hugging and worshiping a tree thinking they're appeasing as unknown God somewhere. Paul said it this way to them of Athens in Acts 17:23 For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beth_Sarim
In 1918, Watch Tower publications began predicting, under the direction of Rutherford, that Old Testament patriarchs or "princes" would be resurrected back to earthly life in 1925.
Beth Sarim (Hebrew בית שרים "House of the Princes") is a ten-bedroom mansion in San Diego, California, constructed in 1929 in anticipation of various resurrected Old Testament biblical patriarchs or prophets such as Abraham, Moses, David, Isaiahand Samuel. It was maintained by the Watch Tower Society, the parent organization used by Jehovah's Witnesses
Blessings in Christ Jesus.
digging
Member
I would suggest a loving way to reach their heart, to allow the call of the great shepherd to reach their spiritual ears. If you go at them from the angle of attacking their creed they will reach the same way all people do who view themselves as Christians with creeds!
Here is one that I found that has been received differently. As them if they believe they are doing the will of God in their 'preaching work'. Then show them this vs
Matthew 12:50 NAS
"For whoever does the will of My Father who is in heaven, he is My brother and sister and mother."
Focus on the word whoever, they are taught they are not really brothers of Christ but only their leaders are that is why they do not partake of the bread and wine.
Digging
Here is one that I found that has been received differently. As them if they believe they are doing the will of God in their 'preaching work'. Then show them this vs
Matthew 12:50 NAS
"For whoever does the will of My Father who is in heaven, he is My brother and sister and mother."
Focus on the word whoever, they are taught they are not really brothers of Christ but only their leaders are that is why they do not partake of the bread and wine.
Digging
Edward
2024 Supporter
Edward
2024 Supporter
They say that if you torture the text enough, that you can get it to confess to anything.
Obadiah
Member
JW's have their own version of the Bible that is different enough to be considered false by non-JWs. Mormons I understand do use the same Bible as other Christians but also have other writings, such as the Book of Mormon, etc, that they hold as being more authoritative than the Christian Bible. Their other writings disagree with all versions of the Christian Bible in many places.
Angel
Member
Very interesting. I didn't know what the JW's were all about. So, thanks for the post.
Angel
Member
Once again, very informative! Thanks!
The Mormons have their Book of Mormon and the Jehovah Witness have their Watch Tower.
Angel
Member
I feel scared for them..