Study Guide May 2013 Jehovah Witness
Should I Study The Bible With Jehovah's Witnesses? Jehovah's Witnesses interpret the Bible differently than all other Christian religions.
They say it's because they are 'Jehovah's organization'. Witnesses believe they have 'the truth' and all other religions are 'false'. You will be told that former Jehovah's Witnesses (or 'apostates') are bitter with the organization and have an axe to grind.
That's why they say so many negative things. We agree that some of them are bitter but we are not. We invite you to look at both sides of the fence. Read the articles on this website. Then go to the Society's official website and compare what they have to say. Thoroughly research what Jehovah's Witnesses believe before getting involved.
If you think the Jehovah's Witnesses are nice people, they are! We still miss all our dear friends and wonder how they are. There are so many good things to say about them.
Outsiders see the honey and find it attractive. There are pros and cons about getting involved with the Jehovah's Witnesses. It's easy to study the Bible with them and it's easy to join. The hard part is the of being trapped in a fictional world that's hard to escape. Before you study the Bible with the Witnesses be sure to read this article about their study guide, Bible Study with Jehovah's Witnesses. The New World Translation of the Bible is used only by Jehovah's Witnesses.
Instead of being an accurate translation, it was written to harmonize with their religious doctrines. You will find that their Bible contains and missing scriptures. You will not be studying the Bible.
You will be studying Watchtower publications and doctrines sprinkled with Bible passages. You will be studying the doctrines of Jehovah's Witness. Watchtower study materials have questions at the bottom of each page.
You will be expected to answer all questions correctly based on what the Watchtower says in their publications. Jehovah's Witnesses believe in Jesus and know what he says, but their God is different.
They worship Jehovah. The viewpoints of Jehovah are not the same as the viewpoints of Jesus. See Also see the '.
If you have a personal relationship with Jesus now, you will lose it. They will tell you that the Bible is not correct when it says 'For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,' 1 Timothy 2:5 NIV.
They will tell you that Jesus is mediator between God and the '. The Watchtower Society) Therefore all people need to affiliate themselves with Jehovah's organization in order to be saved at armageddon. See.
The Bible says that eternal life is a free gift. Romans 5:15,17; Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:8; Payment for a gift is not required.
Although the Bible talks about being an example of Christ's love, and spreading, James 2:26,.the Jehovah's Witnesses take it one step farther. Participating in 'Jehovah's organization' is expected. This means studying all Watchtower publications, finding new recruits, attending national every year, attending several meetings every week, going door to door, distributing literature, and being loyal to all the teachings of the Watchtower. Long term involvement with the Jehovah's Witnesses can be very expensive in terms of time and money. Their free Bible study offer is how they attract new people into their religion. It's very important to understand the doctrine of which means hiding the truth from those who are not entitled to it. The question is this.
Are you entitled to know the truth? Be sure to thoroughly research this controversial subject. Are you willing to give up all your friends and relatives who disagree with the Jehovah's Witnesses? Jehovah's Witnesses believe that the entire world, is dominated by the Devil except for their organization.
See Temptations of the. The Bible's good news of Jesus is different than the good news Jehovah's Witnesses talk about. See.
If you decide to become a Jehovah's Witness, you will be required to be very 'separate from the world'. If you become a member and decide later want to leave, all your Jehovah's Witness friends and family members who don't live with you, will no longer speak with you. (Subject to limited exceptions.) See.
Be aware of how Jehovah's Witnesses look forward to a unified world in which independent thinking, thoughts, beliefs, and discussions contrary to Watchtower teachings are strictly forbidden. As in other cults, Jehovah's Witnesses pride themselves in being ' and 'speaking in agreement'. They are even willing to die for their. For example, consider their Bible based reasons for not allowing. The literature of Jehovah's Witnesses has told readers to hate enemies and Jehovah's Witnesses who leave their religion. This directly opposes the teachings of Jesus when he said to love your enemies, persecutors, and ridiculers.
Matthew 5:43-48: Luke 6:31-37; (Compare the crucifixion accounts in John 19:1-30, Mark 15:12-37, and Luke 23:33-44 about how Jesus was insulted, ridiculed, and tortured:with what Jesus said in Luke 23:34), Cor. To understand the Bible, it is recommended that you purchase an unbiased translation that is recognized by Bible scholars and historians. You will find these Bibles at bookstores and online. Even though Jehovah's Witnesses believe you can't understand the Bible without their publications, this is simply not true. It is a good idea to purchase a 'Study Bible' written in plain English. Many Christian churches and non denominational churches offer free Bible studies where the Bible is their primary textbook.
Stay away from religious groups who rely of their literature to explain the Bible. The Words of Jesus. Jehovah's Witnesses try to harmonize the 'entire Bible' and critics say this is a big mistake.
When we do this we dilute the powerful message of Jesus with rules and regulations Jesus didn't teach. 2 John 1: 9 - 11. It's interesting to understand the entire Bible, but only the words of Jesus are required. Matthew 28:18,19. Pray for the Jehovah's Witnesses and treat them with love. Pray that some day they will accept. The words of Jesus set us free to believe in whatever we want.
Working hard for an organization does not save Christians. Everlasting life cannot be purchased by to one religion. Jesus already paid the price.
Eternal life is a free gift for everyone who follows him. Jesus said ALL authority has been given unto him. Matthew 28:18,19.
All Jesus requires is for us to love one another. That's what unites true Christians. Watch this A special JW who belongs to the elite 144,000 'anointed' class, gets disfellowshipped (excommunicated) and shunned when she accidentally discovers a Watchtower false teaching during a Bible study she was conducting Additional Information About Free Bible Studies. Does the Watchtower endorse independent Bible study, research, meetings, debates, literature, or web sites?
KING SOLOMON “pondered and made a thorough search, that he might arrange many proverbs in order.” Why? Because he was interested in writing “correct words of truth.” Luke “traced all things from the start with accuracy” in order to narrate in logical order the events of Christ’s life. Both of these servants of God were doing research. What is research? It is a careful search for information about a particular matter. It includes reading, and it requires the application of the principles of study.
It may also involve interviewing people. What circumstances call for research? Here are a few examples. Your personal study or Bible reading may give rise to questions that are important to you.
Someone to whom you witness may raise a question on which you would like to have specific information for a reply. You may have been assigned to give a talk. Consider that assignment to give a talk. The material that you have been asked to cover may seem quite general. How can you apply it locally?
Enrich it by doing research. When supported with a statistic or two or with an example that fits your material and that touches the lives of those in your audience, a point that may have seemed obvious becomes informative, even motivating. The published material with which you are working may have been prepared for readers worldwide, but you need to amplify, illustrate, and apply the points to one congregation or to one person. How should you proceed? Before running in search of information, consider your audience.
What will they already know? What do they need to know? Then identify your objective. Is it to explain? Or to motivate?
Explaining requires providing further information to make a matter clear. Although the basic facts may be understood, you may need to expand on when or how to do what is stated. Convincing calls for giving reasons outlining why a thing is so, including presentation of evidence. Refuting requires a thorough knowledge of both sides of an issue along with a careful analysis of evidence used.
Of course, we seek not simply strong arguments but ways to present facts in a kindly manner. Motivating involves reaching the heart. It means giving your audience incentive and building up their desire to act on what is being discussed. Real-life examples of those who have taken such action, even in the face of difficulty, can help to reach the heart. Are you now ready to begin? Consider how much information you need.
Time may be an important factor. If you are going to present the information to others, how much time will be available for you to do it? Five minutes? Forty-five minutes?
Is the time fixed, such as at a congregation meeting, or is it flexible, such as on a Bible study or a shepherding call? Finally, what research tools are available to you? In addition to what you have at home, are there more in the library at your Kingdom Hall? Would brothers who have been serving Jehovah for many years be willing to let you consult their research tools?
Is there a public library in your area where reference books can be used if necessary? If your research project involves the meaning of a scripture, start with the Bible itself. Examine the Context.
Ask yourself: ‘To whom was this text directed? What do the surrounding verses indicate as to the circumstances leading up to the statement or the attitude of the people involved?’ Such details can often help us understand a text, and they can also add life to a talk in which you might use them. For example, is often quoted to show the power of God’s Word to touch hearts and influence lives. The context adds depth to our appreciation of how that can be so. It discusses the experiences of Israel during the 40 years in the wilderness before entering the land that Jehovah had promised to Abraham.
“The word of God,” his promise to bring them into a place of rest in harmony with his covenant with Abraham, was not dead; it was alive and moving toward fulfillment. The Israelites had every reason to show faith in it. However, as Jehovah led them from Egypt to Mount Sinai and on toward the Promised Land, they repeatedly showed a lack of faith. Thus, by their reaction to the way that God carried out his word, what was in their hearts was made manifest.
In a similar way in our day, God’s word of promise shows up what is in the hearts of men. Check the Cross-References. Some Bibles have cross-references. If so, these may help. Note an example from the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures. Points to Sarah as an example worthy of imitation by Christian wives. A cross-reference to reinforces that by disclosing that Sarah spoke of Abraham as lord “inside herself.” Her submission, therefore, was heartfelt.
In addition to such insights, cross-references may refer you to texts that show the fulfillment of a Bible prophecy or of a Law covenant pattern. Realize, however, that some cross-references are not meant to give such explanations. They may simply refer to parallel thoughts or to biographical or geographic information. Search With a Bible Concordance. A Bible concordance is an alphabetic index of words used in the Bible.
It can help you locate scriptures that relate to the subject on which you are doing research. As you explore them, you will learn other helpful details. You will see evidence of “the pattern” of truth set forth in God’s Word. The New World Translation contains a basic listing of “Bible Words Indexed.” The Comprehensive Concordance is much more extensive. If it is available in your language, it will direct you to all the texts containing each of the principal words in the Bible. The lists a number of other research tools that have been provided by “the faithful and discreet slave.” Many of these have a table of contents, and many have an index in the back, which is designed to help you pinpoint specific information. At the end of each year, subject indexes are published in both The Watchtower and Awake!
For that year’s collection of articles. Being familiar with the type of information offered in these Bible study publications can accelerate the research process. Say, for instance, that you want to know about prophecy, doctrine, Christian conduct, or the application of Bible principles. The Watchtower will likely contain what you seek. Deals with current events, contemporary problems, religion, science, and peoples of various lands. Commentary on each account in the Gospels in chronological order appears in The Greatest Man Who Ever Lived.
A verse-by-verse discussion of entire Bible books is found in such publications as Revelation—Its Grand Climax At Hand!, Pay Attention to Daniel’s Prophecy!, and the two volumes of Isaiah’s Prophecy—Light for All Mankind. In Reasoning From the Scriptures, you will find satisfying answers to hundreds of Bible questions that are commonly raised in the field service.
For a clearer understanding of other religions, their teachings, and their historical backgrounds, see Mankind’s Search for God. A detailed account of the modern-day history of Jehovah’s Witnesses is contained in Jehovah’s Witnesses—Proclaimers of God’s Kingdom. For a report on current developments in the global preaching of the good news, check the latest Yearbook of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Insight on the Scriptures is a Bible encyclopedia and atlas. If you need details about people, places, things, languages, or historical events associated with the Bible, this is an excellent resource. “Watch Tower Publications Index.” This Index, published in more than 20 languages, will direct you to information in a wide variety of our publications.
It is divided into a subject index and a scripture index. To use the subject index, locate a word representing the subject you want to investigate.
Study Guide May 2013 Jehovah Witnesses
To use the scripture index, locate in the list of scriptures the one you would like to understand better. If something has been published in your language on that subject or that scripture in the years covered by the Index, you will find a list of references to consult. Use the key in the front of the Index to decipher the abbreviations for the names of cited publications. (With that help, for example, you would learn that w99 3/1 15 refers to The Watchtower for 1999, March 1 issue, page 15.) Main headings such as “Field Ministry Experiences” and “Life Stories of Jehovah’s Witnesses” can be helpful in preparing motivating presentations for the congregation. Since doing research can be very absorbing, be careful not to get sidetracked.
Stay focused on your objective to search out the material needed for the task at hand. If the Index refers you to a certain source, turn to the page(s) cited, then use subheadings and opening sentences of paragraphs to guide you to the material that fits your needs. If you are searching for the meaning of a particular Bible verse, first locate the citation on the page to which you are referred. Then examine the surrounding comments. “Watchtower Library” on CD-ROM. If you have access to a computer, you may benefit from using the Watchtower Library on CD-ROM, which contains a vast collection of our publications.
The easy-to-use search program enables you to look for a word, a combination of words, or a scripture citation in any of the publications in the Watchtower Library. Even if this research tool is not available in your language, you may be able to benefit from it in a widely used international language with which you are familiar.
In his second inspired letter to Timothy, Paul asked the young man to bring “the scrolls, especially the parchments,” to him at Rome. Paul valued certain writings and kept them. You can do the same. Do you save your personal copies of The Watchtower, Awake!, and Our Kingdom Ministry even after these have been considered at congregation meetings? If so, you will have them available to use as research tools, along with the other Christian publications you have acquired.
Most congregations maintain a collection of theocratic publications in a library at the Kingdom Hall. These are for the benefit of the entire congregation, for their use while at the Kingdom Hall. Keep alert to items of interest that you can use when you are speaking and teaching. If you find in a newspaper or a magazine a news item, statistic, or example that you can use in your ministry, clip it out or copy the information. Include the date, the title of the periodical, and perhaps the name of the author or publisher. At congregation meetings, jot down reasoning points and illustrations that may help you to explain the truth to others. Have you ever thought of a good illustration but did not have an opportunity to use it right away?
Study Guide May 2013 Jehovah Witness Beliefs
Write it down, and keep it in a file. After you have been in the Theocratic Ministry School for some time, you will have prepared a number of presentations. Instead of throwing away your notes from these talks, save them. The research you have done may prove useful later. People are a rich source of information.
When Luke was compiling his Gospel account, he evidently gathered much information by interviewing eyewitnesses. Perhaps a fellow Christian can shed light on a matter on which you have been endeavoring to do research. According to, Christ uses “gifts in men” to help us grow in “the accurate knowledge of the Son of God.” Interviewing those with experience in serving God may yield useful ideas. Conversing with people may also reveal what they are thinking, and this can help you to prepare material that is truly practical. After wheat is harvested, the grain needs to be removed from the chaff.
So it is with the fruitage of your research. Before it is ready for use, you need to separate what is valuable from what is superfluous.
If you are going to use the information in a talk, ask yourself: ‘Does the point I plan to use really contribute something worthwhile to my presentation of the subject? Or, even though it is interesting material, does it tend to divert attention from the subject that I ought to be talking about?’ If you are considering using current events or material from the ever-changing fields of science or medicine, make sure that the information is up-to-date. Realize, too, that some points in older publications of ours may have been updated, so consider what has most recently been published on the topic.
There is a special need to be cautious if you choose to compile information from secular sources. Never forget that God’s Word is truth. Jesus occupies the key role in the fulfillment of God’s purpose. Therefore, says: “Carefully concealed in him are all the treasures of wisdom and of knowledge.” Evaluate the fruits of your research from that perspective. With regard to secular research, ask yourself: ‘Is this material exaggerated, speculative, or shortsighted?
Was it written with a selfish or commercial motive? Do other authoritative sources agree with it? Above all, does it harmonize with Bible truth?’ encourages us to keep searching for knowledge, understanding, and discernment “as for silver, and as for hid treasures.” That implies both exertion and rich rewards. Research takes effort, but doing it will help you to find God’s thoughts on matters, to correct mistaken ideas, and to make firm your grasp of the truth. It will also add substance and life to your presentations, making them a pleasure to deliver and a delight to hear.