Responding to Jehovah's Witnesses

This argument leverages the NWT's own faithful rendering of key texts to show that Scripture claims sufficiency for itself — no supplementary organisational channel is needed.

1. Open with a shared value: "I imagine you admire the Bereans in Acts 17:11." Let them affirm it. Ask: "What made them noble?" They will say the Bereans examined the Scriptures. Point out who they were checking: Paul — an actual apostle with genuine miraculous credentials. The Bereans were praised, not rebuked, for testing apostolic teaching against God's Word.
2. Ask the pivotal question: "If checking an apostle's teaching against Scripture is noble, would checking the Governing Body's teachings against Scripture also be noble?" Pause and let them process.
3. Turn to 2 Timothy 3:16–17 in their NWT: "All Scripture is inspired of God and beneficial for teaching, for reproving, for setting things straight, for disciplining in righteousness, so that the man of God may be fully competent, completely equipped for every good work." Emphasise 'fully competent, completely equipped.' If Scripture alone makes a person fully competent, what role does an additional organisational channel play?
4. Read 1 Corinthians 4:6 in their NWT — it renders Paul's words as an explicit rule: "Do not go beyond the things that are written." The Watchtower's own study notes confirm this means God's servants should not teach anything beyond what Scripture says. Ask: "Does the organisation have policies that go beyond what the Bible says? Blood fractions, reporting hours, two-witness rule for abuse — where are these in Scripture?"
5. Read Matthew 15:9 in their NWT: "It is in vain that they keep worshipping me, for they teach commands of men as doctrines." Jesus was rebuking the Pharisees for placing human traditions above God's Word. Ask: "How would you know if this was happening in your organisation? What test would you apply?"
6. Sharpen with 2 Timothy 3:15 — the verse BEFORE the one about equipping. Read it in the NWT: "and that from infancy you have known the holy writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus." This is not about training or correction — this is about SALVATION. Timothy was made wise for salvation by the holy writings alone. No organisation, no faithful slave, no channel. The writings themselves did it. Ask: "If the Scriptures made Timothy wise for salvation without an organisation, why would it be any different for us today?"
7. Close gently: "The Watchtower itself says the Governing Body is 'neither inspired nor infallible' (Watchtower, February 2017, p. 26). If they can err, and Scripture makes you fully competent — wouldn't the noble thing be to do what the Bereans did and check for yourself?"

Acts 17:11 says the Bereans were praised for verifying apostolic teaching against Scripture — not for trusting an organisation to interpret it for them. And 2 Timothy 3:16–17 says Scripture makes the man of God 'fully competent, completely equipped for every good work.' If Scripture is sufficient for full competence, the claim that you cannot progress 'no matter how much Bible reading you do' (Watchtower 1981) contradicts Paul's inspired words.

Read Acts 15:15–17. The Jerusalem council reached its conclusion by opening Scripture and reasoning from it — James quoted Amos 9:11–12 as the basis for the decision. Raymond Franz, who sat on the modern Governing Body for nine years, records that in their sessions the Bible played little part and decisions came from policy manuals. The biblical model is leaders who submit to Scripture; the modern pattern is members who submit to leaders.

Your own NWT renders 1 Corinthians 4:6 as a rule: "Do not go beyond the things that are written." That rule applies equally to the Governing Body. If they teach policies that go beyond Scripture — and you are forbidden from pointing that out — then the independent thinking being suppressed is not rebellion but the very Berean nobility that Acts 17:11 commends.

If the organisation merely helps, you should be free to respectfully disagree when your own study leads elsewhere — just as the Bereans could have disagreed with Paul. But in practice, publicly disagreeing with any Governing Body interpretation leads to a judicial committee and potential disfellowshipping. A helper you cannot question is an authority you must obey. Matthew 15:9 warns about exactly this: "They teach commands of men as doctrines."

Paul's own words separate the roles. He says the holy writings are what made Timothy "wise for salvation" (2 Timothy 3:15 NWT). Lois and Eunice taught Timothy the writings — but Paul attributes the saving power to the writings themselves, not to the teachers. A teacher who points you to the text is doing what any good teacher does. A teacher who says "you cannot understand the text without me" is claiming a role the text never assigns. Ask: "Does the Governing Body point you to the Scriptures the way Lois did, or does it say you cannot progress without its guidance — which is what the 1981 Watchtower said?"

Jeremiah 17:5 says "Cursed is the man who trusts in mankind." Psalms 146:3 warns "Do not put your trust in princes." God used Israel, yes — and repeatedly rebuked Israel's leaders for placing their traditions above his Word. Jesus's rebuke of the Pharisees in Matthew 15:3–9 is the climax of that pattern. The question is not whether God uses organisations but whether any organisation may override Scripture — and every biblical example says no.

Read Acts 17:10–12 until you can say from memory why the Bereans were called noble. Then read 2 Timothy 3:14–17 in the NWT and memorise "wise for salvation" and "fully competent, completely equipped." Check the NWT of 1 Corinthians 4:6 yourself for "Do not go beyond the things that are written." Look up the 1 December 1981 Watchtower (p. 27) and the February 2017 "neither inspired nor infallible" statement so you can cite both accurately. Practise the doorstep question aloud. Prepare for the Acts 15 reply by reading Acts 15:13–17 with Amos 9:11–12.