Why bother with Jehovah’s Witnesses.
Posted on April 30, 2012 by Pastor Tony Brown
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On more than one occasion, well meaning Christians have told me that we shouldn’t bother with Jehovah’s Witnesses. The reasons given are varied. The Jehovah’s Witnesses’, ‘know the Bible too well’; ‘they won’t listen’; ‘I don’t know what to say to them’; ‘they are anti-Christ so we shouldn’t talk to them’; or even ‘they are Christians so we should leave them alone’. All of these reasons are at least flawed, and at most erroneous.
If any of the reasons above were employed by the Christian who befriended me, I may well still be walking the streets, knocking on doors and sharing Watchtower propaganda. Praise the Lord that the Christian I met lovingly shared Jesus with me and had his entire Church praying for my eyes to be opened. Should he have bothered? The fact that I am now in a relationship with Jesus, forgiven, saved and assured should make the answer obvious.
The following words of Jesus will be very familiar to us…
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:19,20
We are called to share the ‘good news’ with all people of all nations, and as Christians we understand this very well; but we often believe that this ‘good news’ is for the ‘uninformed’ and not for the ‘misinformed’. This leads us to conclude that groups like Jehovah’s Witnesses can be ignored and left alone to follow what they believe to be true. This saddens me.
I can testify that many who join the Jehovah’s Witnesses are people who were searching for meaning and purpose. The Jehovah’s Witnesses may have called on their door or approached them in the street and offered concern and, more importantly, answers. The potential converts are showered with love and offered a ‘home’ Bible Study and it doesn’t take long for potential converts to become indoctrinated with Watchtower doctrine. They quickly take their place in the Kingdom Hall and, growing ever distant from their family and friends, the Watchtower becomes their “new” family. These poor unfortunate, misinformed people are led astray by false teaching, a false gospel and a false Jesus. So what should our response be when we encounter them?
In his letter to the Romans, the Apostle Paul shared his thoughts about his fellow Israelites. If we were to replace ‘Israelites’ with ‘Jehovah’s Witnesses’ it would sum up my thoughts about them.
Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for the Jehovah’s Witnesses is that they may be saved. For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge. Since they did not know the righteousness that comes from God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes. Romans 10:1-4
The often admired ‘zeal’ of the Jehovah’s Witnesses is based on falsehood. We need to lovingly share Christ with them. Share our testimony, tell them about the ‘real’ Jesus who changes lives, who loves them unconditionally, who died for them that may know forgiveness and that through him, they can have a relationship with the true and living God.
Should we bother with Jehovah’s Witnesses? Does God care about them? Should we share Jesus with them? I offer a resounding ‘YES’. |
