It is ironic and tragic that Jehovah’s Witnesses come to our doors to tell us about God’s wonderful promise concerning how we can live forever in paradise on earth, yet they have no assurance at all that they themselves will be there.

But how can that be?

After all, they believe they are a part of a small percentage of the world’s population that is “in the truth” and truly understands the Bible.

They see themselves as engaged in a noble cause—donating their time week after week going door-to-door to the homes of people they don’t know, facing indifference, getting doors slammed in their faces, enduring persecution, all for the sake of Jehovah and his kingdom.

In your living room, they often come across as supremely confident, like lawyers who believe they have an unbeatable case or like salespeople who are convinced they have an incomparable product.

But this public persona they project is only half the story.

They do believe in their cause, but inside they are very insecure.

Why?

Because they believe their salvation depends on them—on their works and on their faithful endurance to the end.

They have no way of knowing whether they will measure up.

They don’t know if Jehovah will deem them worthy of “the reward of eternal life.”[1]

Of course, they can’t show you their fears.

That would put the Watchtower religion in a very bad light.

It wouldn’t make anyone want to become a Jehovah’s Witness.

 By making good stone-in-the-shoe questions and comments, you can show the Witnesses that you identify with them and understand their fears.

 Rather than telling the Witnesses you know about their fears, express to them the fears you would have if you were to become a Jehovah’s Witness.

Your theme should be this stone-in-the-shoe comment:

  • If my salvation depended on me and my performance, I know I personally could never prove worthy.

The Witnesses will try to reassure you, but your comments and questions will act as stones in their shoe, requiring them to face the truth of what you are saying.

You aren’t accusing them of anything.

You are just talking about you.

You will come across as a friend rather than as an enemy.

When I tell you about the Witnesses’ fears, I’m not saying that a small percentage of Jehovah’s Witnesses have these worries because of their own personal failings.

I’m saying that this uncertainty is part and parcel of being a member of a performance-based religion.

As one former Witness described it to me, “No matter how much you do, you never feel like it’s enough.”

That’s because it isn’t.

This fear and insecurity is the Watchtower’s primary method of motivation.

It sets up an impossible set of requirements for pleasing God and then makes the individual Jehovah’s Witness feel guilty for not having done more.

The loyalty and endurance test

At some point, the Witnesses will discuss with you the issue of Jehovah’s sovereignty.

The Watchtower teaches that life is a continual loyalty and endurance test.

Satan raised the issue of whether Jehovah is really the rightful ruler of creation.

Will we side with Satan, or will we be loyal to Jehovah and his kingdom?

As human beings, each one of us is required to take a stand.

Whose side are we on?

Will we join in Satan’s rebellion, or will we prove our loyalty to Jehovah by continuing acts of loving obedience?

In response, you can say:

  • I think I understand what you have been telling me. 
  • My fear is that if I became a Jehovah’s Witness, I don’t know if I could pass the test.
  • I don’t know if I could take the rejection you must face in your door-to-door work. 
  • I don’t know if I could keep up with all my responsibilities at home and on the job and still devote all the time it would take to be an exemplary Jehovah’s Witness.

Please understand that for Jehovah’s Witnesses, the stakes could not be higher.

They believe that people who prove worthy will receive everlasting life as a reward.

At the same time, they believe that people who do not prove worthy will be annihilated by God at the battle of Armageddon, and the Watchtower believes that this worldwide cataclysm is imminent.

You can say:

  • I don’t know how you put up with the stress. You have told me Armageddon is coming very soon, and I fear that I wouldn’t prove worthy to survive it.

Not only do Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that they need to prove worthy in this life in order to survive Armageddon, but they also believe that if they are judged worthy to enter into Christ’s coming millennial kingdom, they will have to remain obedient.

During those 1000 years, they will have to progress to the point of moral perfection.[2] 

Only after they pass a final loyalty test by Satan at the end of that millennium will they be deemed worthy of everlasting life.[3] 

If they do not prove faithful through the entire 1000 years and the final loyalty test, they will be annihilated.

You can say:

  • Even if I had a thousand years to try to improve, I don’t think I could make myself good enough for God.

The role of Jesus

Ask:

  • Where does Jesus fit into all of this? 
  • If I have faith in his sacrifice, will that guarantee me everlasting life?

Jehovah’s Witnesses believe the answer is no.

The Watchtower teaches that faith in Jesus’ sacrifice only gives people an opportunity for everlasting life.[4]

In practice, Jehovah’s Witnesses see Jesus Christ, not as the way (John 14:6), but as the one who showed us the way through his works—his taking in knowledge of God, his refusal to yield to temptation, his dedication as the human leader of Jehovah’s organization, his preaching of the good news of Jehovah’s kingdom, and his willingness to obey Jehovah even to the point of undergoing an undeserved, excruciating death.

You can say:

  • I understand that Jesus displayed perfect devotion and obedience to his Father, but I know I could never live up to that. 
  • I really don’t understand how I could develop genuine intimacy with God because I would always be fearful that I won’t measure up and that at some point he will annihilate me.

The constant insecurity

By continually stressing that proving loyal through works and enduring to the end are essential either for obtaining a resurrection or for surviving Armageddon, the Watchtower keeps Jehovah’s Witnesses permanently insecure.

You can comment:

  • I read in an article on the Watchtower’s website that not only must we maintain our integrity to God but that “without adding godly devotion to our endurance… we cannot please Jehovah, and we will not gain everlasting life.”[5]
  • I personally can’t imagine having to live with that kind of uncertainty and pressure for the rest of my life.

Summary

The Witnesses will try to assure you that pleasing Jehovah is doable and that if you become a Jehovah’s Witnesses you will have loving brothers and sisters to help you and encourage you.

Thank them for their love and concern but always go back to your original statement:

  • If my salvation depended on me and my performance, I know I personally could never prove worthy.

Pray that they will see that genuine salvation must be based on Christ and his finished work, not on us and our performance.

 

[1] The Watchtower, “We Know They Will Rise in the Resurrection,” 6/15/89, p. 6

[2] The Watchtower, “Are You Ready for Life in God’s New Order?,” 6/15/73, p. 367 ; The Watchtower, “Would You Want to Be There?”, 5/15/74, p. 293 ; The Watchtower, “Make Jehovah’s Everlasting Arms Your Support”, 10/1/91, p. 14 

[3] The Watchtower, “Questions from Readers”, 12/15/03, p. 29

[4] Insight on the Scriptures, Volume 2 (Brooklyn: Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society & International Bible Students Association, 1988), p. 775

[5] The Watchtower, “Add Godly Devotion to Your Endurance”, 7/15/02, p. 11

 

 

 

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