JW's

Wolves In Sheep’s Clothing!

Matthew 7:15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.”

Synopsis: The Last Few Weeks

The Bible

Jehovah’s Witnesses — The New World Translation (NWT)

vs.

The Bible is our source/final source of authority

Can we call something authoritative if we change it to reflect what we already believe?

The Watchtower Society changes key verses to reflect their theology:

John 1:1 (NWT) In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was a god. 

The Bible reads:

John 1:1 “1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

God’s Prophet

The society is God’s “sole collective channel for the flow of biblical truth to men on earth.” The Bible cannot be understood without Watchtower literature.

Biblical Response:

God reveals His will today through the Bible and the Holy Spirit.

2 Timothy 3:16 ESV

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,

John 14:26 ESV

But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.

Who Is Jesus?

Watchtower Society:

Jesus or Michael the archangel, was God’s first creation. Jesus, a perfect man, became the Mesiah at his baptism. He is the Son of God, but not God the Son. His resurrection was spiritual with temporary physical appearances.

Biblical Response:

The Bible affirms that Jesus is God the Son (divine).

Jesus prophesied His own physical resurrection and appeared physically to more than 500 people.

John 5:17–18 ESV

But Jesus answered them, “My Father is working until now, and I am working.” This was why the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.

Colossians 2:9 ESV

For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily,

John 2:18–22 ESV

18 So the Jews said to him, “What sign do you show us for doing these things?” 19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” 20 The Jews then said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?” 21 But he was speaking about the temple of his body. 22 When therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the Scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken.

1 Corinthians 15:1–8 ESV

Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 6 Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. 8 Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me.

End Times Prophecies

Watchtower Society:

The society has predicted unfilled dates for Armageddon: 1874; 1914; 1925; 1941; and 1975. “Christendom will be destroyed during Armageddon.”

Biblical Response:

One sign of false prophets is that their predictions do not come to pass. Further, God’s Word is clear that nothing separates the Christian from the love of God.

Deuteronomy 18:20–22 ESV

20 But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in my name that I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that same prophet shall die.’ 21 And if you say in your heart, ‘How may we know the word that the Lord has not spoken?’— 22 when a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the word does not come to pass or come true, that is a word that the Lord has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously. You need not be afraid of him.

Romans 8:35–39 ESV

35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36 As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Other JW aberrant teachings:

Jesus already came back invisibly.

Blood transfusions are sinful/prohibited.

The organization is infallible.

Jesus is now Michael.

Salvation is trough their society alone.

2-classes of saved persons

144,000 elect persons

Jonadabs — great crowd of those who will live forever on the new earth.

Witnessing to JW’s

Have a clear understanding of your faith & the Bible.

Be prepared to cite & explain specific passages supporting basic Christianity.

Have a basic knowledge of JW teachings.

Have a plan to keep the focused in the conversation.

Clearly define terms.

Try to get to know the person, it is easier to share with a friend.

Center the discussion on Jesus. Stress the relationship.

Share your testimony.

Know & present salvation (The Gospel).

Trust the Spirit.