Subj: Answers to Jw's on the personhood of the Holy Spirit
Date: 97-05-29 23:14:35 EDT
From: jsanders@datasync.com (John T. Sanders)
To: SteveVanN@aol.com (Steve Van Nattan)
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I hope you can help me. My brother is being sucked in by the JW's. He is very intelligent and I can't believe this. They are at his house every Sunday. I know this will break his marriage up, his wife goes to church every Sunday. Every question or answer you have for them. They have a way around it. Is there anything I can look up to dispel their lies? I read the bible a lot, but I can't seem to ask anything that they don't have an answer to.
They used to not believe in the trinity, now they do, they used to say Jesus was just a teacher, now they say he was the savior. They say the holy ghost is a force, I have only found one passage in the bible that Jesus refers to the holy ghost as (HE). Is there anything that you can tell me that they can't deny or come back with an answer. Any help you can give me I would really appreciate.
Thank you, Karen
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To Karen
Please notice in the verses below that the Holy Spirit is repeatedly referred to as He and I. The Holy Spirit speaks, bears witness, can be grieved, can be lied to, can be tempted (in the sense that Jesus said "Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God), has a mind, has a will, can make decisions, can lead, can testify, can teach, can reprove, can comfort, can forbid, can help, can make intercession and dwells in a temple. All of these things indicate personality or personhood. Jesus makes the Holy Spirit equal to Himself when He says the Holy Spirit is another Comforter that will come in His place. Several of the Old Testament scriptures That say THUS SAITH THE LORD are attributted to the Holy Spirit in the New Testament making Him equal to the Jehovah of the Old Testament.
One note of caution. The Jehovah's Witnesses will try to get you to use their corrupted Bible and when cornered on an issue will rapidly change the subject. They are schooled in getting under peoples skin and will laugh at you (sometimes) and try to make you angry. Stick with the King James Bible and don't get angry. If they bring up something you are not sure of simply tell them it is good question and that you will study it and get back to them as soon as you have a better understanding of the issue. Then go right back to the point they attempted to side step. Ask them kindly to please deal with one issue at a time. If they protest ask them why they are being so unreasonable.
Please understand that for a Jehovah's Witness to leave the Watchtower organization means he will be ostracized unmercifully by family and friends in the organization. Also understand that if your brother is deep into the organization and you begin to make an impact with your arguments against their doctrine, he will probably be told not to have anything to do with you. If this happens it will probably be backed up by the same threats of ostracism and divine judgement. If this happens patiently and kindly point out their close mindedness to true Bible study. Above all, prayer and fasting are important and will work where arguments may fail. Remember the words of Jesus when His disciples could not overcome demonic influences. (Mark 9:29) And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.
In Christ,
Bro. John Sanders
PS Feel free to contact me directly by e-mail if you need info on other subjects.