House of Truth Ministries
June 2022
House of Truth Ministries is about sharing the Gospel in various venues.
Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6 (ESV)
June 2022
House of Truth Ministries is about sharing the Gospel in various venues.
Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6 (ESV)
The above photos are from the Fullerton Farmer's Market.
I can personalize 1 John 5:9-13. When I believed in the Son of God, God gave me eternal life. John wrote these things so that I who believe in the name of the Son of God may know that I have eternal life. The JW may disagree with you. However, his disagreement is with God’s word not with your testimony.
WITNESSING TO JWs By Thayne Devorss
1 John 5:9-13(NWT 2013) 9If we accept the witness of men, the witness of God is greater. Because this is the witness God gives, the witness that he has given about his Son. 10 The person putting his faith in the Son of God has the witness within himself. The person not having faith in God has made him a liar, because he has not put his faith in the witness given by God concerning his Son. 11 And this is the witness, that God gave us everlasting life, and this life is in his Son. 12 The one who has the Son has this life; the one who does not have the Son of God does not have this life. 13 I write you these things so that you may know that you have life everlasting, you who put your faith in the name of the Son of God.
Comment: One of the most effective subjects to share with someone who claims to be a believer in God and the Bible but doesn’t have salvation, such as a Jehovah Witness or a Mormon, is on the subject of eternal life1. Why? Because there are so many people today who say they believe in the Bible, God2, and Jesus Christ, but at the same time, strongly deny that they have eternal life, right now. This is why it is a good subject to have a discussion on. In fact, many will say that you can’t know that now, because we don’t know what we are going to do today or tomorrow, or what we are going to do in the future. But God knows! And one of the most powerful verses to share on this subject, besides John 5:243 and John 10:27-294, is 1 John 5:9-13 (stated above). In verse 9, God teaches us that there are two testimonies5, one is Man’s and the other is God’s. And we are told by God that God’s testimony is greater than Man’s testimony. Notice that God’s testimony concerns His Son. In verse 10, God tells us the difference between the two testimonies: the person who has faith in God’s Son has God’s testimony in themselves; but the person who does not have faith in God’s Son does not have God’s testimony (i.e., by default - he has Man’s testimony) and in the end, is calling God a liar because he has not put faith in the testimony that God has given us concerning His Son. This is a very important point to take notice of. A person not believing God’s testimony is calling God a liar! This is not a good position to be in – calling God a liar. Especially if we believe the Scriptures where it says God can’t lie.6 In verses 11 and 12, God tells us what His testimony is - God gave us eternal life and this life is in His Son. The person who has7 the Son, has this eternal life. The person who does not have8 the Son does not have this eternal life.” This is a very important point to take notice of. The person who believes in God’s testimony, that is in His Son, has eternal life. It is important to take notice on the word “has” and its meaning in this context. The word “has” has the meaning “to possess” or “to own”. This is very important when answering the question, “Can a believer have eternal life right now or do they have to wait and see if they receive in the future on judgment day?” God tells us that the believer possesses eternal life right now. Many believers in God and the Bible question this today. They even question if a believer can even know that they have eternal life right now. But notice what God tells us in verse 13. He says He writes us these things so that we may know that we have eternal life – those who put their faith in the name of the Son of God. God tells us that we can know if we truly believe in the name of the Son of God. He says that He wrote us these verses so we could know it. How awesome is our God! I will end it with this. Do you believe in the name of the Son of God? Do you have eternal life? What testimony are you bearing to those around you, the testimony of Man or the testimony of God? Are you willing to call God a liar if you do not believe in His testimony?
1Or “everlasting life” - some Bible translations use the phrase, “everlasting life” instead of “eternal life”; I always try to quote the translation of the Bible the person that I am sharing with is most familiar with, so I can be the most effective witness to them.
2Or “Jehovah” or “Yahweh” – I use the word “Jehovah” instead of “God “when talking to Jehovah Witnesses and “Yahweh” when talking to Mormons because it catches their attention, and they follow along what I am saying better.
3John 5:24(NWT 2013) Most truly I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes the One who sent me has everlasting life, and he does not come into judgment but has passed over from death to life.
4John 10:27-29(NWT 2013) 27 My sheep listen to my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them everlasting life, and they will by no means ever be destroyed, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 What my Father has given me is something greater than all other things, and no one can snatch them out of the hand of the Father.
5Or “witnesses” – some Bible translations use the word, “witness” instead of “testimony”; again - I always try to quote the translation of the Bible the person that I am sharing with is most familiar with, so I can be the most effective witness to them. If their translation uses “witness”, I usually tell them it means “testimony” so they can have a clear understanding of what the passages mean.
6Titus 1:2(NWT 2013) And is based on a hope of the everlasting life that God, who cannot lie, promised long ago. 7i.e., believes in. 8i.e., does not believe in.
WITNESSING TO JWs By Thayne Devorss
1 John 5:9-13(NWT 2013) 9If we accept the witness of men, the witness of God is greater. Because this is the witness God gives, the witness that he has given about his Son. 10 The person putting his faith in the Son of God has the witness within himself. The person not having faith in God has made him a liar, because he has not put his faith in the witness given by God concerning his Son. 11 And this is the witness, that God gave us everlasting life, and this life is in his Son. 12 The one who has the Son has this life; the one who does not have the Son of God does not have this life. 13 I write you these things so that you may know that you have life everlasting, you who put your faith in the name of the Son of God.
Comment: One of the most effective subjects to share with someone who claims to be a believer in God and the Bible but doesn’t have salvation, such as a Jehovah Witness or a Mormon, is on the subject of eternal life1. Why? Because there are so many people today who say they believe in the Bible, God2, and Jesus Christ, but at the same time, strongly deny that they have eternal life, right now. This is why it is a good subject to have a discussion on. In fact, many will say that you can’t know that now, because we don’t know what we are going to do today or tomorrow, or what we are going to do in the future. But God knows! And one of the most powerful verses to share on this subject, besides John 5:243 and John 10:27-294, is 1 John 5:9-13 (stated above). In verse 9, God teaches us that there are two testimonies5, one is Man’s and the other is God’s. And we are told by God that God’s testimony is greater than Man’s testimony. Notice that God’s testimony concerns His Son. In verse 10, God tells us the difference between the two testimonies: the person who has faith in God’s Son has God’s testimony in themselves; but the person who does not have faith in God’s Son does not have God’s testimony (i.e., by default - he has Man’s testimony) and in the end, is calling God a liar because he has not put faith in the testimony that God has given us concerning His Son. This is a very important point to take notice of. A person not believing God’s testimony is calling God a liar! This is not a good position to be in – calling God a liar. Especially if we believe the Scriptures where it says God can’t lie.6 In verses 11 and 12, God tells us what His testimony is - God gave us eternal life and this life is in His Son. The person who has7 the Son, has this eternal life. The person who does not have8 the Son does not have this eternal life.” This is a very important point to take notice of. The person who believes in God’s testimony, that is in His Son, has eternal life. It is important to take notice on the word “has” and its meaning in this context. The word “has” has the meaning “to possess” or “to own”. This is very important when answering the question, “Can a believer have eternal life right now or do they have to wait and see if they receive in the future on judgment day?” God tells us that the believer possesses eternal life right now. Many believers in God and the Bible question this today. They even question if a believer can even know that they have eternal life right now. But notice what God tells us in verse 13. He says He writes us these things so that we may know that we have eternal life – those who put their faith in the name of the Son of God. God tells us that we can know if we truly believe in the name of the Son of God. He says that He wrote us these verses so we could know it. How awesome is our God! I will end it with this. Do you believe in the name of the Son of God? Do you have eternal life? What testimony are you bearing to those around you, the testimony of Man or the testimony of God? Are you willing to call God a liar if you do not believe in His testimony?
1Or “everlasting life” - some Bible translations use the phrase, “everlasting life” instead of “eternal life”; I always try to quote the translation of the Bible the person that I am sharing with is most familiar with, so I can be the most effective witness to them.
2Or “Jehovah” or “Yahweh” – I use the word “Jehovah” instead of “God “when talking to Jehovah Witnesses and “Yahweh” when talking to Mormons because it catches their attention, and they follow along what I am saying better.
3John 5:24(NWT 2013) Most truly I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes the One who sent me has everlasting life, and he does not come into judgment but has passed over from death to life.
4John 10:27-29(NWT 2013) 27 My sheep listen to my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them everlasting life, and they will by no means ever be destroyed, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 What my Father has given me is something greater than all other things, and no one can snatch them out of the hand of the Father.
5Or “witnesses” – some Bible translations use the word, “witness” instead of “testimony”; again - I always try to quote the translation of the Bible the person that I am sharing with is most familiar with, so I can be the most effective witness to them. If their translation uses “witness”, I usually tell them it means “testimony” so they can have a clear understanding of what the passages mean.
6Titus 1:2(NWT 2013) And is based on a hope of the everlasting life that God, who cannot lie, promised long ago. 7i.e., believes in. 8i.e., does not believe in.
PRAYER AND SUPPORT
Thank you for your prayers and financial support. All donations are tax-deductible. Checks can be written to House of Truth Ministries, and they can be sent to the address below. Online donations are accepted as well.
House of Truth Ministries
Box 729
La Habra, CA 90633
My E-mail
jeff@HouseOfTruthMinistries.org
Our website
http://www.HouseOfTruthMinistries.org
House of Truth Ministries YouTube Channel
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQtvAk11yMYsOfFhy3W81jw
Christian Witnesses' YouTube Channel
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpIQy8YGTBX181POz72yxuA
Online Donation
http://HouseOfTruthMinistries.org/Donate.html
Thank you for your prayers and financial support. All donations are tax-deductible. Checks can be written to House of Truth Ministries, and they can be sent to the address below. Online donations are accepted as well.
House of Truth Ministries
Box 729
La Habra, CA 90633
My E-mail
jeff@HouseOfTruthMinistries.org
Our website
http://www.HouseOfTruthMinistries.org
House of Truth Ministries YouTube Channel
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQtvAk11yMYsOfFhy3W81jw
Christian Witnesses' YouTube Channel
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpIQy8YGTBX181POz72yxuA
Online Donation
http://HouseOfTruthMinistries.org/Donate.html