The Highway Forums General Discussion Theology Discussion Forum The Trinity - Essential Doctrine # 1

Wes,

Actually, I prefer to use the "New World Translation" when witnessing to JW's, and even more, their "Greek Interlinear" with footnotes. It is incredibly simple to discredit their translation, e.g., of John 1:1 with the Greek. All one need do is show them the gross inconsistency in their fractured Greek grammar comparing their translation of John 1:1 with John 1:18. In short, they deny the predicate nominative in John 1:1 but assert it in John 1:18; "No man hath seen God (theos w/o the article) at any time; the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him."

Another effective argument is to show a failed prophecy made by the Watch Tower, e.g., in their book, Millions Now Living Will Never Die, published by International Bible Students Association, Brooklyn, New York: 1920 on pp. 88-90 and 97 they wrote:

The chief thing to be restored is the human race to life; and since other Scriptures definitely fix the fact that there will be a resurrection of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and other faithful ones of old, and that these will have the first favor, we may expect 1925 to witness the return of these faithful men of Israel from the condition of death, being resurrected and fully restored to perfect humanity and made the visible, legal representatives of the new order of things on earth. . . .

As we have heretofore stated, the great jubilee cycle is due to begin in 1925. At that time the earthly phase of the kingdom shall be recognized. The Apostle Paul in the eleventh chapter of Hebrews names a long list of faithful men who died before the crucifixion of the Lord and before the beginning of the selection of the church. These can never be a part of the heavenly class; they had no heavenly hopes; but God has in store something good for them. They are to be resurrected as perfect men and constitute the princes of rulers in the earth, according to this promise. (Psalm 45:16; Isaiah 32:1; Matthew 8:11) Therefore we may confidently expect that 1925 will mark the return of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and the faithful prophets of old, particularly those named by the Apostle in Hebrews chapter eleven, to the condition of human perfection. . . .

Based upon the argument heretofore set forth, then, that the old order of things, the old world, is ending and is therefore passing away, and shall mark the resurrection of the faithful worthies of old and the beginning of reconstruction, it is reasonable to conclude that millions of people now on the earth will be still on the earth in 1925. Then, based upon the promises set forth in the divine Word, we must reach the positive and indisputable conclusion that millions now living will never die.

The one pointed question I always ask JW's after having them read these sections of their own book is, "When was the last time you talked with Abraham, Isaac and/or Jacob?" Another fact which substantiates their view that 1925 would mark the resurrection of those who had died is that in 1924 the JW's spent over a million dollars building a massive house in New York called, "Beth Serim" to house all these expected resurrected people.

Now..... since it is undeniable that none of those who they said would rise from the dead and rule the visible kingdom of God on earth, and all those who they said would never die are nowhere to be found, then this prophesy is shown to be false. Thus to drive the final nail into their coffin, all one needs to do is open their book, Aids to Bible Understanding, and read on page 1348 under the heading, "Distinguishing the True From the False" (prophet), where they quote from Deuteronomy 18:20-22 which demands that when a man makes a prophesy which does not come to pass, he is not of God and therefore you shall take this false prophet outside the gates of the city and stone him to death.

In His grace,