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The Problem of Sin

August 31, 2021 / / 0 Comments
Bible teach Ch 3

Click image to access this “Bible Teach” chapter on the Watchtower’s website

In Chapter 3 of “Bible Teach”, the Watchtower makes five main assertions, each of which requires our attention and discussion:

  1. God’s purpose of an earthly paradise hasn’t been fulfilled because of the sinful rebellion of Satan and humans.
  2. Human beings inherited sin from Adam.
  3. We are in the middle of a sovereignty challenge initiated by Satan against Jehovah.
  4. Satan is the current ruler of this world.
  5. God’s Kingdom will soon remove Satan and make the earth a paradise.

In this post, I’ll cover Assertions #1-#2. Next time, I’ll discuss Assertions #3-#5. Continue reading

Establishing the Superiority of the Bible

August 24, 2021 / / 0 Comments
Bible teach Ch 2

Click image to access this “Bible Teach” chapter on the Watchtower’s website

Chapter 2 of “Bible Teach” states at the outset that the Bible is unique and reveals things we could never find out in any other way (paragraph 2, p. 18). It goes on to says that the Bible is “inspired of God” (paragraph 5, p. 19).

As Christians, we can build rapport with the Witnesses by agreeing with them on these points, but I recommend also using a technique that Evidence Ministries president Keith Walker calls “stuffing aces.” Continue reading

How Close Can We Get with God?

August 17, 2021 / / 1 Comment
Bible teach Ch 1

Click image to access this “Bible Teach” chapter on the Watchtower’s website

So far, I have discussed the first three topics in Chapter 1 of “Bible Teach.” Today, I’ll move on to the next subject.

Topic #4: How to draw close to Jehovah

Paragraph 18 (p. 15) of Chapter 1 is headed, “Can You Be Close to Jehovah?” Paragraph 19 (p. 16) quotes Jesus as saying in John 17:3, “This means everlasting life, their coming to know you, the only true God, and the one whom you sent, Jesus Christ.”

Interestingly, an earlier edition of the Watchtower Bible and of “Bible Teach” renders that verse differently: “This means everlasting life, their taking in knowledge of you, the only true God, and the one whom you sent forth, Jesus Christ.”

If they quote the earlier edition at any point, you can ask, “Which is it? To me, there’s a big difference between taking in knowledge of someone and actually knowing that person. How do you see that?”

Try to get them to express their views them on this subject. They need to see for themselves that getting close to the Father and the Son is a matter of a personal rather than organizational relationship.

Continue reading

The Importance of the Name “Jehovah”

August 10, 2021 / / 0 Comments
Bible teach Ch 1

Click image to access this “Bible Teach” chapter on the Watchtower’s website

Last week, I discussed the first two topics in Chapter 1 of “Bible Teach.” Today, I’ll move on to the next subject.

Topic #3: The importance of God’s name—“Jehovah”

Given the importance of the name “Jehovah” in the Watchtower religion, it’s somewhat surprising that “Bible Teach” doesn’t introduce the topic until midway through the chapter, but the Watchtower often catches us off guard by introducing key teachings when we least expect it.

In Watchtower publications, photo captions often convey doctrine. As an example, the photo caption at paragraph 14 (p. 12) reads, “When you want someone to get to know you, do you not mention your name? God reveals his name to us in the Bible.” The same point is made in the text itself, under the heading, “God Wants You to Know Who He Is.”

You can point out that our children and grandchildren know us intimately even though they call us “Dad” and “Grandpa” rather than using our given names. Likewise, our friends often refer to us by nicknames. Continue reading

Establish Your Right to Ask Anything

August 3, 2021 / / 2 Comments
Bible teach Ch 1

Click image to access this “Bible Teach” chapter on the Watchtower’s website

In an earlier post in this series, I said, “The best way to prepare to discuss a study book chapter actively is to read it through and take notes on what the Witnesses will try to get across and why. Then—using my book and blog as resources—decide what you want to get across and why. Then prepare your discussion points accordingly.”

As you do this preparation, you’ll discover that Chapter 1 of “Bible Teach”—“What Is the Truth About God?”—covers five main topics:

  1. The need to ask important questions and keep seeking the answers
  2. God’s role in bad things that happen
  3. The importance of God’s name—“Jehovah”
  4. How to draw close to Jehovah
  5. Resisting opposition to studying with Jehovah’s Witnesses

Today, I’ll discuss Topics #1-#2. In the next post, I’ll cover Topics #3-#5. Continue reading

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