Here is a brief article by Josh Buice; pt1
In recent days, I have been receiving repetitive visits to my home from the local Jehovah’s Witnesses in our community. I have purposely decided to continue a conversation with these people regarding the deity of Christ as opposed to slamming the door in their face (as I shouted cult). I view it as an easy opportunity to do evangelism, especially since they are coming to my door to talk about Jehovah. Just this past week, as I was taking a break from my yard work on Saturday, I had just sat down to eat lunch when the doorbell rang. As I approached the door, I immediately recognized this person as a member of the Jehovah’s Witnesses. I took time to speak with the young man about the deity of Christ and soon he was joined by a couple of others. After a few additional minutes of dialogue, they agreed to return to my home tonight for an open Bible study on the deity of Christ. As they left my door on Saturday, I remembered that it’s very close to the celebration of Resurrection Sunday and the cults are known to make attacks upon Jesus around Easter and Christmas.
I’ve been thinking about my approach to this group of people over coffee this evening. You may know that the Jehovah’s Witnesses prepare for hours before approaching your door, but sadly, we spend very little time preparing for their visits. Before calling the local Kingdom Hall and inviting them over for a Bible study, take time to prepare. I have developed a quick five step approach that will allow you to share the gospel with any member of the Jehovah’s Witnesses who come knocking on your door. Remember, they have strange views of eternity, they deny hell, and many other biblical doctrines. But, keep your focus on Christ when you seek to evangelize a member of the Jehovah’s Witnesses.
1 – The Bible Says Jesus Is God
Although John 1:1 is considered to be the most popular claim of Jesus’ deity in the New Testament, perhaps no claim is greater than John 8:58 where Jesus said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” He was clearly connecting Himself to the “I AM” of Exodus 3:13-15. Below is a listing of verses that likewise point to the deity of Jesus.
John 1:1 – In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
John 20:28 – Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!
Titus 2:13 – waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ
2 Peter 1:1 – Simeon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ
Romans 9:5 – To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen.
Colossians 1:16 – For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.
Philippians 2:5-6 – Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, [6] who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped
John 8:58-59 – Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” [59] So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple.
John 18:6 – When Jesus said to them, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground.
Isaiah 9:6 – For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
2 – The Bible Teaches Monotheism
From the very beginning, God has revealed Himself as one God. Likewise, He has drawn a line in the sand forbidding His children from worshipping any other god (Exodus 20). The revelation of God as one, (rather than multiple gods), is referred to as monotheism. The doctrine of the Trinity is not a denial of monotheism, as the Jehovah’s Witnesses claim, but a revelation of the three divine persons of the one true God (Father, Son, and Spirit). As you will notice if you read the text of the New World Translation, they translate passages devoted to the Holy Spirit as “spirit” rather than “Spirit” because they teach that the Spirit of God is a force rather than a divine person. Orthodox Christianity believes that God exists as one God in three divine persons and this is known as monotheism. God the Father is no more God than the Son. The Son is no more God than the Spirit. The Spirit is no more God than the Father or the Son. God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit are co-equal and co-eternal and they all three make up the one true God of Scripture.
3 – The Watchtower Teaches Polytheism
As evidenced from the name of their organization, the Jehovah’s Witnesses are passionate about Jehovah (God). They operate a massive printing organization founded by Charles Taze Russell known as The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society. They consider themselves to be monotheists in their theological positions. However, an honest examination of John 1:1 translated in the New World Translation denies monotheism. According to the New World Translation John 1:1 reads, “In the beginning was the Word, the Word was with God, and the Word was a god.” According to the Jehovah’s Witnesses, Jesus is a created being, namely Michael the archangel. They claim that Jesus was created as a “lesser god” but He is not the divine God Almighty – Jehovah. For Jesus to be “a god” as opposed to the God as the original Greek actually reveals, the Watchtower organization, by their interpretation of John 1:1 (a god), is forced to embrace a polytheistic view of God. At this point, the very people who consider themselves to be champions for monotheism, must acknowledge polytheism as they deny the deity of Christ.
4 – Jesus Is Not Michael
The Jehovah’s Witnesses claim that Jesus is a created “spirit being” of Jehovah. They claim that upon earth, Jesus came as Michael the archangel to do the work of God. However, that can easily be proven false by looking at a couple of verses of Scripture.
In recent days, I have been receiving repetitive visits to my home from the local Jehovah’s Witnesses in our community. I have purposely decided to continue a conversation with these people regarding the deity of Christ as opposed to slamming the door in their face (as I shouted cult). I view it as an easy opportunity to do evangelism, especially since they are coming to my door to talk about Jehovah. Just this past week, as I was taking a break from my yard work on Saturday, I had just sat down to eat lunch when the doorbell rang. As I approached the door, I immediately recognized this person as a member of the Jehovah’s Witnesses. I took time to speak with the young man about the deity of Christ and soon he was joined by a couple of others. After a few additional minutes of dialogue, they agreed to return to my home tonight for an open Bible study on the deity of Christ. As they left my door on Saturday, I remembered that it’s very close to the celebration of Resurrection Sunday and the cults are known to make attacks upon Jesus around Easter and Christmas.
I’ve been thinking about my approach to this group of people over coffee this evening. You may know that the Jehovah’s Witnesses prepare for hours before approaching your door, but sadly, we spend very little time preparing for their visits. Before calling the local Kingdom Hall and inviting them over for a Bible study, take time to prepare. I have developed a quick five step approach that will allow you to share the gospel with any member of the Jehovah’s Witnesses who come knocking on your door. Remember, they have strange views of eternity, they deny hell, and many other biblical doctrines. But, keep your focus on Christ when you seek to evangelize a member of the Jehovah’s Witnesses.
1 – The Bible Says Jesus Is God
Although John 1:1 is considered to be the most popular claim of Jesus’ deity in the New Testament, perhaps no claim is greater than John 8:58 where Jesus said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” He was clearly connecting Himself to the “I AM” of Exodus 3:13-15. Below is a listing of verses that likewise point to the deity of Jesus.
John 1:1 – In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
John 20:28 – Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!
Titus 2:13 – waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ
2 Peter 1:1 – Simeon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ
Romans 9:5 – To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen.
Colossians 1:16 – For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.
Philippians 2:5-6 – Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, [6] who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped
John 8:58-59 – Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” [59] So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple.
John 18:6 – When Jesus said to them, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground.
Isaiah 9:6 – For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
2 – The Bible Teaches Monotheism
From the very beginning, God has revealed Himself as one God. Likewise, He has drawn a line in the sand forbidding His children from worshipping any other god (Exodus 20). The revelation of God as one, (rather than multiple gods), is referred to as monotheism. The doctrine of the Trinity is not a denial of monotheism, as the Jehovah’s Witnesses claim, but a revelation of the three divine persons of the one true God (Father, Son, and Spirit). As you will notice if you read the text of the New World Translation, they translate passages devoted to the Holy Spirit as “spirit” rather than “Spirit” because they teach that the Spirit of God is a force rather than a divine person. Orthodox Christianity believes that God exists as one God in three divine persons and this is known as monotheism. God the Father is no more God than the Son. The Son is no more God than the Spirit. The Spirit is no more God than the Father or the Son. God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit are co-equal and co-eternal and they all three make up the one true God of Scripture.
3 – The Watchtower Teaches Polytheism
As evidenced from the name of their organization, the Jehovah’s Witnesses are passionate about Jehovah (God). They operate a massive printing organization founded by Charles Taze Russell known as The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society. They consider themselves to be monotheists in their theological positions. However, an honest examination of John 1:1 translated in the New World Translation denies monotheism. According to the New World Translation John 1:1 reads, “In the beginning was the Word, the Word was with God, and the Word was a god.” According to the Jehovah’s Witnesses, Jesus is a created being, namely Michael the archangel. They claim that Jesus was created as a “lesser god” but He is not the divine God Almighty – Jehovah. For Jesus to be “a god” as opposed to the God as the original Greek actually reveals, the Watchtower organization, by their interpretation of John 1:1 (a god), is forced to embrace a polytheistic view of God. At this point, the very people who consider themselves to be champions for monotheism, must acknowledge polytheism as they deny the deity of Christ.
4 – Jesus Is Not Michael
The Jehovah’s Witnesses claim that Jesus is a created “spirit being” of Jehovah. They claim that upon earth, Jesus came as Michael the archangel to do the work of God. However, that can easily be proven false by looking at a couple of verses of Scripture.