Unless you are well grounded in the Scriptures, it is pointless attempting to debate Jehovah’s Witnesses (JW’s) on the selected subjects they will lead you into. The JW’s are well versed in the doctrines of their “pet” topics. You need to be well versed in the Bible! “The heart of the righteous studieth to answer“ (Pr 15:28).
JW’s are taught to control any discussion between you and them by asking the questions. Your task is to take the initiative. Be assertive (not rude) and you ask the JW’s to answer your questions. Below are some thought provoking questions you can ask JW’s. They have no answer to these questions and will attempt to lead you back to their “topics.” Be determined to stay on subject!
Question 1
JW’s have been taught that their “church” is the one and only true church. Therefore, ask the JW’s,
“Did Jesus say in Matt 16:18 that He would build His Church, and that the gates of hell would not prevail against it?”
Their “bible, the New World Translation (NWT) reads,
“I will build my congregation, and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.”
Consequently, their response to your question will be “Yes!”
Next, ask the JW’s,
“When was the first JW ‘church/congregation’ formed?”
The answer is that the JW movement was begun in the 1870s by Charles Taze Russell. Prior to 1870 it never existed. Ask the JW to explain,
“Where was the Church for 1870 years before the JW’s started theirs?”
The true church has always existed, though it’s always been very small, lowly, hated, and persecuted — existing alongside the broad path of heretical, false churches such as the JWs.
Question 2
A question that confounds their lies that Jesus Christ was not God and there is no Trinity. According their own corrupted translation of Scripture, they are liars and antichrists.
Ask the JW’s,
“Who raised Christ from the dead?”
They will answer that God did. Ask them to read Ac 3:15 from their “bible.” In agreement with the KJV, the NWT confirms that
“God raised him up from the dead.”
Now ask the JW’s to read Rom 8:11 from their “bible.” In part it reads,
“the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead…”
Again, in agreement with the KJV, the NWT declares that the Holy Spirit raised Christ from the dead.
Ask them to now read Jn 2:19 from their “bible.” Once again, in agreement with the KJV, the NWT says,
“Jesus replied to them [the Jews]: ‘Tear down this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.’”
Point out to the JW’s that here Jesus was saying that He was going to raise Himself from the dead. They will deny it, saying that the next verse shows that Jesus was speaking about the temple. Ask them to now read verse 21, which states,
“he was talking about the temple of his body.”
Watch the JW’s faces as they realise that here is the Trinity proven from their own “bible.” They have snared themselves and will attempt to change the topic, but don’t let them. Ask them to explain what they have just read. They said themselves, at the outset, that God raised Jesus from the dead. If their “bible” says that Jesus raised Himself from the dead, then He must be God! And the Holy Spirit must also be God!
“Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son. Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: (but) he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.” (1 John 2:21-22).
Question 3
Do the JW’s know that their “new testament” is in agreement with a corrupt Greek manuscript published in 1881 by two apostate Anglican Bishops, named Westcott and Hort, whose stated goal was to discredit the original Greek manuscripts (which happen to be the very ones that God preserved) and the KJV?
They will deny this is true. But point out that their “bible” is identical in key verses to what they claim are a multitude of corrupt modern versions. They will claim that their ‘bible’ is identical to the KJV, which was the Bible used by the JW movement prior to the NWT being released.
Ask the JW’s to read 1 Tim 3:16 from their “bible.” The NWT reads (speaking of Jesus),
“‘He was made manifest in flesh, was declared righteous in spirit, appeared to angels, was preached about among nations, was believed upon in the world, was received up in glory.”
Show the JW’s the same verse from the KJV, which reads,
“God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit...”
True to the historically accepted Greek manuscripts the KJV declares that Jesus is truly God. Their NWT, however, agrees with the heretical Westcott and Hort Greek manuscript that was changed specifically to deny the deity of Christ.
Question 4
Has God given the commission to guard and feed His sheep to pastors of Bible based local churches, or has He given it to the leadership of a para-church organization in America, who then delegate that responsibility to their members, who must go house to house, on their behalf, throughout the nations of the world?
Unlike Independent Baptist churches, and in contradiction to Scripture, JWs do not believe in the autonomy of the local church. In Ac 20:28-29, the elders or pastors (and teachers and evangelists) have been commissioned to shepherd and protect God’s flock, and they have been clearly instructed what they are to feed them.
Questions For You
1. Should you invite the JW's into your home to allow them to discuss (debate) their interpretation of the Scriptures with you, if they clearly don’t come with the doctrine of Christ?
“Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ (as with the JW’s), hath not God . . . If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.” (2 Jn 1:9-11)
2. Should I accept the literature the JW’s offers me to read?
The JW’s literature has hidden within it the leaven of their false teaching and there is a lot of it. The Bible urgently warns professing Christians to beware of false teachers and their doctrines (Gal 5:9; Matt 16:11-12) and to expose them (Rom 16:17).
A second, perhaps just as important, reason not to receive their literature is because the JW’s “salvation” is based upon works. Part of the works they must perform, to secure their place in Paradise, is to convince you to accept their literature. Don’t be accountable before God (2 Jn 1:9-11) for assisting the JW’s in their belief that they must work their way to salvation.
“And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.” (Eph 5:11).