Bridge of Reason

  How is a person made righteous before a Holy God? This was the big question at the time of the Reformation, and it continues to be the most important issue today. Let us consider how the Jehovah’s Witnesses might answer, as I continue to review the Convention address by Brother David Schafer. This is what Jehovah says, your Repurchaser, the Holy One of Israel: “I, Jehovah, am your God, The One teaching you to benefit yourself, The One guiding you in the way you should walk. If only you would pay attention to my commandments! Then your peace would become just like a river and your righteousness like the waves of the sea. Isaiah 48:17-18 NWT Brother Schafer said that these verses from Isaiah teach us that imperfect human beings can have a righteous standing before God. He claimed that the peace that righteousness brings is achieved by obedience to Jehovah’s commandments. What he fails to mention is that these verses were given to the people of Israel and should be, at least in the ...

  As I continue to review the Jehovah’s Witness ‘Pursue Peace’ Convention, here we have Brother David Schafer who is described as a helper to the Teaching Committee. As I begin, it may be helpful to mention that this week I spoke to some Witnesses at their cart, and the ladies had clearly been listening to this talk, as they almost quoted verbatim some of the things here mentioned. Brother Schafer begins with a common Watchtower trick. He takes a verse completely out of its context, so that it will appear to support what he wants to teach. The verse in question was Isaiah 32 verse 17 in the New World Translation: The result of true righteousness will be peace, And the fruitage of true righteousness will be lasting tranquility and security. Firstly, let us consider the context of this verse. From chapter twenty-eight through to thirty-nine of Isaiah, we read that Jerusalem has been delivered with numerous warnings. The people are told that they shouldn’t be trusting foreign nations ...

  The text given for the convention is the latter part of Psalm 29 verse 11, which reads in the New World Translation as: ‘Jehovah will bless His people with peace.’ Because Jehovah’s Witnesses erroneously, but deliberately, translate the tetragram YHWH (LORD in most Bibles) as Jehovah, every verse that has that name appears to speak directly to them. So, in setting the stage for those virtually attending this convention, the verse clearly says to them that Jehovah will bless His people with peace. Who are His people? Of course, they believe it is them - Jehovah’s Witnesses. To reinforce the opening thought that Jehovah has a people, a musical presentation was shown with Witnesses from around the world singing in their own language. The message is loud and clear. Jehovah has a people, and they are happy, united, and blessed. The Jehovah’s Witnesses are back out in force with their carts, and I recently spoke to an elderly couple of witnesses about the Lord Jesus and the way of salv...

  Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. John 14:27 In January 1736, John Wesley set sail to the Americas. His purpose, as recorded in his diary, was threefold. Firstly, he intended to serve as a pastor to the colonists. Secondly, he wanted to preach to the, yet unreached, Indians. Finally, and interestingly, he wanted to ‘save his soul’. Wesley was clearly a sincere, and serious God-fearing man but, at this point in his life, was he truly saved? He recalls another episode in his diary that made him consider his position before a holy God. On board his ship was a group of Moravian immigrants from Germany. A severe storm developed at sea, and they were in danger of being shipwrecked. Wesley, fearing for his life, noticed that the Moravians were singing and praising God, they were all at peace amidst the tumult. Wesley recorded the event in his diary saying, “In the midst o...

Arising from an Adventist Bible study group in America in 1870 led by Charles Taze Russell (1852-1916), 12.9 million people world-wide attended the annual memorial meal of Jehovah’s Witnessesin1996. Over five million baptised members actively seek converts (up 4% on 1995 and 75% over a decade), with 366,000 baptisms and almost five million ‘studies’ in 1996. They are expanding rapidly in countries with low literacy levels and in the former communist bloc, and outnumber churchgoers in Japan. In the UK, there are around 130,000 baptised members (static over 1995 but up 33% over a decade); 220,000 attended the memorial meal and they conducted 50,000 ‘studies’ and nearly 5,000 baptisms in 1996 ( R1 – see reference list). Around two-thirds of their converts are believed to have once had at least nominal involvement with mainstream Christian churches . In view of how often Jehovah’s Witnesses visit, Christians would do well to spend a little time learning about this group. They would then b...

With a major JW convention happening at Twickenham Rugby Stadium, the home of English rugby, and the place where Reachout Trust had its beginnings so many years ago – you can read about it here – I thought it would be helpful to post some useful information on the blog. Following a convention they will be fired up and motivated, and down your street. Do you know who they are, and what they believe? Can you confidently engage them in discussion and share the gospel? These articles, mostly Doug’s own work, are intended to equip you for the task and I hope you find it useful. Who Are They? The vast majority of Jehovah’s Witness at your door will be very genuine people. They will be zealous for the truth that has been learnt from their relationship with the ‘organisation’-the Watchtower Bible &Tract Society. The individual will be calling on you as part of their ‘mission field.’ They will feel in doing this that they are serving Jehovah. Most will attend five weekly meetings eac...