Transcript What to do
Ready Reference Facts/Questions for When the Doorbell Rings. Preliminary Strategies • Do not panic. “Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world.” (1 John 4:4). • Don’t pursue a conversation if you are unable to devote some time to your guests. • If you are not comfortable speaking by yourself, get their number and call a more knowledgeable person and set up a time where you and your friend can share Christ with them. Remember, God allowed them to knock on your door and our steps are ordered by God. We are told in Scripture “always be prepared to give an answer.” (1 Peter 3:15). • Focus on the identity of Jesus Christ. • Take control of conversation. Keep control. You determine subject. There are more important subjects than present conditions. • Be patient and do not get frustrated. Jesus of the Jehovah’ Witnesses "The Word or Logos is not God or the God, but is the Son of God and hence is a god." (New World Translation, 1950 ed., p 775). "Michael (arch-angel) is actually the Son of God" (Aid to Bible Understanding, p 1152). “At the time of his beginning of life he was created by the everlasting God, Jehovah, without the aid or instrumentality of any mother. In other words he was the first and direct creation of Jehovah God.” (The Kingdom Is At Hand, pp. 46-47). Was Jesus “the first and direct creation of Jehovah God”? There is God and His Creation. If Jesus made “all things” then He can not belong to the category of Creation. Use a coin to represent Jesus and place it in the category below that best corresponds to John 1:3 in the N.W.T. God Jehovah God created “all things.” N.W.T. teaches Jesus created “all things.” Therefore, Jesus is Jehovah. Cross reference Rev. 4:11, N.W.T., “You are worthy Jehovah, even our God, to receive the glory and the honor and the power because you created all things…” Creation All things came into existence through him, and apart from him not even one thing came into existence. John 1:3 NWT Some questions for Jehovah Witnesses Would you read my literature especially if it came from members who left your group? The Watchtower has said “We need to examine not only what we personally believe, but also what is taught by any organization with which we may be associated. Are its teachings in full harmony with God’s Word, or are they based on the traditions of men? If we are lovers of the truth there is nothing to fear from such an examination.” The Truth that leads to Eternal Life, p. 13. The Watchtower published a book “Make Sure of All Things.” How can one “Make Sure of All Things” if one only reads Watchtower literature? New World Translation Jehovah’s Witnesses God the Father • May you have undeserved kindness and peace from God the Father… 2 Thess 1:2, N.W.T 1984. God the Son • But when he again brings his Firstborn into the inhabited earth, he says, “And let all God’s angels worship Him.” (Hebrews 1:6 N.W.T of the Christian Greek Scriptures, 1950). Jehovah the Father is clearly commanding the angels to worship Jehovah the Son. Jesus said, “It is written, ‘It is Jehovah your God you must worship, and it is to him alone you must render sacred service.’” (Luke 4:8 N.W.T 1984). The same Greek word for “worship” is used for both verses. Therefore, Jesus the Son who received worship must be Jehovah. God the Holy Spirit • • Now Jehovah is the Spirit. (2 Corinthians 3:17, N.W.T 1984). As they were publicly ministering to Jehovah and fasting, the holy spirit said: “Of all persons set Barnabas and Saul apart…” (Acts 13:3 N.W.T 1984). A force cannot speak. In Acts 5, the Holy Spirit is lied to by Ananias and Sapphira. One cannot lie to a force. Mormonism How do Mormons define Jesus Christ? Jesus is the spirit brother of Lucifer. Brigham Young, concerning the fall of man, said, "Who will redeem the earth, who will go forth and make the sacrifice for the earth and all that it contains? The eldest son [Jesus] said: ‘Here I am; but he did not say 'send me.’’ But the second one, which was Lucifer son of the morning, said, 'Lord here am I, send me, I will redeem every son of Adam and Eve that lives on the earth....'" (Journal of Discourses. Vol. 13, p. 282). The appointment of Jesus to be Savior of the World was contested by one of the other sons of God. He was called Lucifer, son of the morning. Haughty, ambitious, and covetous of power and glory, this spirit brother of Jesus desperately tried to become the Savior of mankind. Milton R. Hunter of the First Council of the Seventy The Gospel Through the Ages, p. 15. Some key questions for Mormons • How can Jesus be the spirit brother of Lucifer when the Bible teaches Lucifer is a created being and that Jesus created everything? Colossians 1:16-17 says, “For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. • Please interpret, “Is there any God besides me, or is there any other Rock? I know of none.” Isaiah 44:8 • What if I have a burning in my bosom that Mormonism is wrong? • Why do you believe the Bible verses that differ with Mormonism have been mistranslated? If you believe there are errors in the Bible, then why do you cite it? Some key questions for Mormons part 2 Brigham Young said, "take up the Bible, compare the religion of the Latter Day Saints with it and see if it will stand the test" (Journal of Discourses Vol. 16, p. 46). • If what Brigham said is true, please explain Lorenzo Snow’s statement, “As man is God once was, As God is man may become” in light of Psalm 90:2 “Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from EVERLASTING TO EVERLASTING, THOU ART GOD.” • Did Joseph Smith contradict Psalm 90:2 when he stated, “I am going to tell you how God came to be God. We have imagined and supposed that God was God from all eternity. I will refute that idea, and take away the veil, so that you may see. (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 345). And that, “God Himself was once as we are now, and is an exalted man, and sits in enthroned in yonder heavens! (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 345). Either the Psalm 90:2 is true, or Joseph Smith is correct. Appendix A Overview of major world religions All religions are not ultimately saying the same thing. Moses: One personal God. The universe is not eternal, but was created by God (Gen. 1-3; Deut. 6:4; etc.). Krishna: Mix of polytheism and impersonal pantheism. The universe is eternal. Zoroaster: One good god and one evil god (religious dualism). Buddha: God not relevant; essentially agnostic. Confucius: Polytheistic (belief in many gods). Muhammad: One personal God who cannot have a Son. Jesus Christ: One personal God who does have a Son (Mark 12:29; John 4:24; 5:18-19; etc.). Baha'u'llah: God and the universe, which is an emanation of God, are co-eternal. Doctrinal Dictionary • Monotheism: Belief in one true God. • Pantheism: A world view. The belief that only the spiritual dimension exists. Pantheists refer to the perception of a material reality as “maya”, which means illusion. • Polytheism: The believe that there are many different deities, both co-equal or in hierarchy. Please visit, www.geocities.com/apologetics315 Reliability of the Bible Of the 5,300 Greek manuscripts "only about one-eighth of all the variants had any weight, as most of them are merely mechanical matters such as spelling or style. Of the whole, then, only about onesixtieth 1/60th rise above trivialities or can in any sense be called 'substantial variations.' Mathematically this would compute to a text that is 98.33 percent pure.” Geisler Norman and William Nix, General Introduction to the Bible p. 365. Sir Frederick Kenyon the director and principal librarian of the British Museum and second to none in issuing authority on manuscripts said, "no fundamental doctrine of the Christian faith rests on a disputed reading.” Frederick G. Kenyon. Our Bible and the Ancient Manuscripts. New York: Harper &Brothers, 1941, p. 23 Mormon “prophets” contradict each other • Behold, David and Solomon truly had many wives and concubines, which thing was abominable before me, saith the Lord (Jacob 2:24). • Adam was made from the dust of an earth, but not from the dust of this earth (Journal of Discourses, Vol. 3, p. 319). • I the Lord, justified…David and Solomon…as touching the principle of their having many wives (Doctrine and Covenants 132:1). • Adam’s body was created from the dust of the ground, that is, from the dust of this ground, this earth (Joseph Felding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation , Vol. 1, p. 90).