Monday, August 21, 2017

The reluctant JW

Saturday morningI was sweeping out the front of our house when a passer-by offered me a leaflet. A glance at the proffered text confirmed my thought, Jehovah's Witnesses again. Usually they knock on the door and we send them away though we have been known to enter into conversation and on occasions the JW will return with a superior to reinforce their position. But this JW was in for a surprise, I went on the offensive.
'No thank you. I'm a Christian.'
JW. " So am I."
'No you are not.You do not believe that Jesus Christ is by his death our only hope of salvation.'
JW." I believe Jesus died for the sins of all."
'But you do not believe your only hope is in him. I admire you for your zeal and persistence in witness but you believe that is an essential part of your salvation though works are no part of salvation.'
JW."How come you want to tell what I believe""
'Because I am not ignorant of your teaching. I have read your literature.'
JW. "Jesus died for the sins of all men."
(At this point I decided to tell him what he probably had never heard from a Christian, a 5 point Calvinist)
'No.Jesus died for his church, his elect, and they will be saved by his death alone. That is our only hope of heaven.'
JW. "We do not believe in going to heaven but in a new heavens and earth."
"So do I and it will come about on the day Jesus returns, a day unexpected, a day no-one knows, unlike the founder of your religion who  prophesied the day and twice got it wrong.'
JW moves on to the next house with no more argument.
Was I hard on him? I was blunt and brutal but I believe I spoke the truth in love. If the Holy Spirit works in that man he will be back for more of the truth. I am sure these zealous people rarely meet those who self identify as Christian and even more rarely will tell them why their zeal is nor according to true knowledge of the Scriptures they profess to follow. Of course he may mark our address as one not to be called upon in future. We shall see. By early November we hope to have moved D.V..

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