Tuesday, January 5

Let your words always be gracious, . . . so that you will know how you should answer each person.Col. 4:6.

A number of years ago, a Christian sister was discussing the Bible with her unbelieving husband. During their discussion, her husband said that he believed in the Trinity. Discerning that he might not have realized what the Trinity teaching is all about, she tactfully asked, “Do you believe that God is God, that Jesus is God, and that the holy spirit is God; yet, there are not three Gods but one God?” Surprised, the husband said, “No, I don’t believe that!” A lively conversation about the true nature of God then ensued. That experience illustrates the value of asking tactful, well-chosen questions. Also, we do not need to feel intimidated by challenging topics, such as the Trinity, hellfire, or the existence of a Creator. If we rely on Jehovah and on the training he provides, we can often give a persuasive answer, one that may reach the heart of our listeners.

COMMENTARY

Jehovah’s Witnesses and interested persons who have become aware of the Watchtower’s error in connection to all things 1914 inevitably find themselves in an awkward situation. A question I am asked is, how does one go about alerting others to the deception that the Watchtower is working upon the unsuspecting?

Admittedly, it is not a desirable situation. If a baptized JW speaks out in direct opposition to anything the Watchtower teaches then the elders become immediately involved. And the issue will not be whether the WT is right or wrong. It will be about your apostasy.

Ironically, unbaptized persons in association with Jehovah’s Witnesses have greater freeness of speech. For one thing, they obviously cannot be disfellowshipped. And they are allowed greater latitude to speak their minds.

But the WT’s daily text comments may offer some helpful hints for Jehovah’s Witnesses who may not wish to remain silent. “Asking tactful, well-chosen questions” may be an effective way to get others to start thinking along different lines. For example, if the conversation warrants you could pose a question along these lines: Do you believe that people began receiving the symbolic 666 mark of the beast in 1921? It is quite likely that many of Jehovah’s Witnesses may not even realize that the WT teaches that. So, getting them thinking about the absurdity of it might be an effective way to get them thinking about the whole 1914 thing.

Or perhaps if talking about world events you might raise the question: I wonder if there is going to be another world war. What do you think? Is it possible?

Of course, the great majority of Jehovah’s Witnesses cannot be persuaded to think outside of Bethel’s box by any means. But as the events associated with the great day of Jehovah begin then you will have a more receptive audience, provided you do not throw away your freeness of speech beforehand. 

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