Reasoning with Jehovah's Witnesses |
22. Witnessing |
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22. WitnessingJehovah's Witnesses believe that: a. The extent to which one engages in the house-to-house preaching activity of Jehovah's Witnesses determines to a large degree his righteous or unrighteous standing before Jehovah God.31 b. All of Jehovah's Witnesses are required to spend time regularly in the preaching work.32 c. The message to be preached today is that of the established (since 1914) kingdom of God and the hope of eternal life on the paradise earth to come.33
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Q1. Are Christians encouraged to witness to their fellow men? Matt 28:19-20-"Go therefore and make disciples..teach-ing them" Acts 5:42-And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they [the apostles] kept right on teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ. Acts 20:20-how I [Paul] did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you [the elders of the church in Ephesus] publicly and from house to house 1 Cor 9:16-I [Paul] am under compulsion; for woe is me if I do not preach the gospel. 1 Cor 11:1-Become imitators of me [Paul], even as I am of Christ Eph 6:15-having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace Phil 1:14-most of the brethren...because of my imprisonment, have far more courage to speak the word of God without fear 2 Ti 4:1-2-I solemnly charge you [Timothy]...preach the word Rev 22:17-And let anyone hearing say "Come!"
Q2. Is house-to-house preaching a prerequisite for salvation? See SALVATION
Q3. Do Christians all have identical roles in the ministry? 1 Cor 12:28-29-And God has appointed in the church, first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, various kinds of tongues. All are not apostles, are they? All are not prophets, are they? All are not workers of miracles, are they? Eph 4:11-And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ...
Q4. Does the Watchtower Society place the same emphasis on witnessing as does the New Testament? Admonition to preach/page in the New Testament=.023 Admonition to preach/page in Watchtower Society literature=.625
Q5. What message is to be preached by Christians today? Luke 24:45-And He [Jesus] opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and He said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and rise again from the dead the third day; and that repentance for forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in His name to all the nations..." See THE GOSPEL See THE KINGDOM
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Summary: a. Christians are encouraged to witness to their fellow men. b. House-to-house preaching is not a prerequisite for salvation. c. Christians have differing roles in the ministry. Not all Christians are preachers. d. The Watchtower Society places 27 times more emphasis on preaching than does the New Testament. e. The message to be preached by Christians today is Christ crucified.
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Scriptures commonly used by Jehovah's Witnesses: Matt 24:14-And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world for a witness to all the nations, and then the end shall come. See THE KINGDOM
Endnotes: 31. Organized to Accomplish Our Ministry, p. 106 32. Ibid., pp. 6, 82 33. Watchtower, 5/1/81, p. 17 |
