As late as the 1920s, the Watchtower used a cross-and-crown symbol. However, now it says that the use of a cross in worship is pagan and idolatrous. (p. 241)

Because the Watchtower criticizes Christians over this issue and has convinced Jehovah’s Witnesses that it is one of the marks that distinguishes the authentic Christian faith from the false Christianity of Christendom, you may need to address this issue with them.

Your objective will be to show Witnesses from the Scriptures that it is perfectly acceptable for Christians to display and wear crosses if they choose to do so. In fact, the practice honors Christ and his sacrifice.

In order to achieve this goal, let’s look at four Watchtower arguments and how to respond to each of them.

Watchtower Argument #1: Jesus died on an upright stake, not a cross. (pp. 242-243)

The Watchtower often quotes secular books and Greek lexicons to try to prove its claim that Jesus died on a single upright stake. I recommend that rather than trying to counter these materials with similar sources, you simply cite the internal evidence from the Bible itself.

Have the Witnesses show you how they believe Jesus was executed. Watchtower illustrations show Jesus impaled on a single upright pole without any cross beam. His hands are shown as being together above his head, with a single nail pinning both hands to the stake.

In response, ask them to comment on the following scriptures:

  • John 20:25, where Thomas want to see the print of the nails (plural).
  • Matthew 27:37, which refers to Pilate posting the charge above Jesus’ head. It doesn’t say above his hands, as would be the case if the Watchtower were correct.
  • John 21:18-19, where Jesus prophesied that Peter would be put to death with his arms outstretched, showing that the traditional cross was being used by the Romans.

Watchtower Argument #2: The cross is a pagan sex symbol used in pagan worship. (p. 243)

The Watchtower states, “According to history, Tammuz was a Babylonian god, and the cross was used as his symbol. From its beginning in the days of Nimrod, Babylon was against Jehovah and an enemy of true worship… So by cherishing the cross, a person is honoring a symbol of worship that is opposed to the true God.”

 In rebuttal, say something like this: “To me, the cross is the instrument on which Christ paid for my sins and purchased my salvation. My conscience isn’t troubled at all because of what it might have represented to some pagans thousands of years ago.”

Watchtower Argument #3: Veneration of the cross is idolatrous (p. 244)

Agree with the Witnesses that it would be wrong to actually worship the cross itself or to use it as some sort of good luck charm. Then add, “Any object can become an idol if a person places faith in that object rather than in Christ. However, I believe that to brand a person an idolater merely because he or she displays or wears a cross violates the Romans 14:1-4 command against passing judgment another person on matters of individual conscience. I don’t worship the cross. I don’t think it has some sort of magical powers. To me, it symbolizes Christ’s suffering and death that purchased my salvation. It testifies to what he did. That is not idolatrous.”

Watchtower Argument #4: The instrument on which Jesus died should be shunned, not cherished. (pp. 244-246)

If you only have time to address one of their arguments about the cross, this is the one I would recommend selecting because it highlights what the cross represents.

Jehovah’s Witnesses cannot understand why you or I would “cherish the old rugged cross.” The Watchtower is actually repulsed by it. Witnesses often render unsuspecting Christians speechless by making the following argument: “How would you feel if one of your dearest friends was executed on the basis of false charges? Would you make a replica of the instrument of execution? Would you cherish it, or would you rather shun it?”

I recommend that you answer this argument by saying, “Let’s use your translation’s term ‘torture stake.’ Let’s see what Paul has to say about the torture stake.”

Have one of the Witnesses read aloud Philippians 3:18-19: “For there are many—I used to mention them often but now I mention them also with weeping—who are walking as enemies of the torture stake of the Christ. Their end is destruction, and their god is their belly, and their glory is really their shame, and they have their minds on earthly things” (Watchtower translation).

Ask:

  • According to Paul, is being an enemy of the torture stake a good thing or a bad thing?
  • Why does Paul consider it wrong to be an enemy of the torture stake?

Next, have one of them read aloud 1 Corinthians 1:17-18: “For Christ sent me, not to baptize, but to declare the good news, and not with wisdom of speech, so that the torture stake of the Christ should not be made useless. For the speech about the torture stake is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is God’s power.” (Watchtower translation).

Ask:

  • Why do those who are perishing consider speech about the torture stake to be foolishness?
  • What does Paul say the torture stake represents to those who are being saved?
  • In what way does the torture stake represent God’s power?

Then have one of the Witnesses read aloud Galatians 6:14: “But may I never boast, except in the torture stake of our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom the world has been put to death with regard to me and I with regard to the world.” (Watchtower translation).

Ask:

  • Why did Paul boast in the torture stake of Christ?
  • Do you boast in the torture stake of Christ? Why or why not?
  • How would you summarize what the torture stake meant to Paul?
  • Based on all the passages we’ve looked at, would you say Paul considered the torture stake to be a symbol of evil, defeat, and shame or a symbol of victory and triumph?
  • What does the torture stake mean to you?

You can sum up this issue on a positive note of witness by saying, “Do you see from these Scriptures why, to me, the cross is not a symbol of evil and defeat but of victory? Satan tried to use it to destroy the Messiah, but God turned it into the instrument on which Christ defeated Satan’s plan and purchased salvation. It is Christ’s victory and his sacrifice that Christians are testifying to when we identify ourselves using the symbol of the cross.”

Conclusion

The topics covered in Chapter 17—The Christian Freedom Approach—are not issues on which I would recommend that you initiate discussion unless you sense that the Holy Spirit is definitely leading you to do so. However, Jehovah’s Witnesses often bring up one or more of them in order to try to prove that the Watchtower religion is the only true Christianity.

The suggestions contained in this chapter will enable you to be prepared to answer them. Remember that you are not asking the Witnesses to agree with you regarding these issues. Instead, your focus is on the freedom of conscience the Bible allows in these matters. If you can get them to think for themselves on these issues, you will have taken important strides in helping to break the hold the Watchtower organization has on them.

Study Questions

Regarding the cross, how would you reply to each of these Watchtower arguments?

  • Jesus died on a single, upright ‘torture stake,’ not on a cross. (pp. 242-243)
  • The cross is a pagan sex symbol used in pagan worship of the false Babylonian god Tammuz, so a person who uses a cross is honoring a symbol of worship that is opposed to the true God. (p. 243)
  • Veneration of the cross is idolatrous. (p. 244)
  • “How would you feel if one of your dearest friends was executed on the basis of false charges? Would you make a replica of the instrument of execution? Would you cherish it, or would you rather shun it? Just so, the instrument on which Jesus Christ was tortured and killed should be shunned by Christians, not cherished.” (pp. 244-246)