The Watchtower organization (the so-called “Jehovah’s Witnesses”) repetitively uses methods of interpretation in order to prove their teachings.  They begin with a unique teaching and then utilize “proof texting” to show Biblical support for their false doctrine.  For example, they teach that Jehovah is a spirit person and not a spiritual force.   Then they establish a system of interpretation in order to prove this teaching.  It goes something like this:

1. Start off with the premise that Jehovah is a spirit person.
2. A spirit person is invisible.
3. A spirit person is intelligent.
4. A spirit person is able to have a conversation.
5. A spirit person is able to teach.
6. A spirit person is able to act.

To prove the premise, they quote a variety of passages to establish their teaching and dismiss the thought that Jehovah is a spiritual force.  Jehovah is invisible, intelligent, able to have a conversation, able to teach, and able to act.  Then they rely on common sense and logic to determine that Jehovah must be a spirit person and not a spiritual force.

They do the exact same thing for their teaching on the devil.  They teach that the devil is a spirit person and not a spiritual force.   Then they establish a system of interpretation in order to prove this teaching.  It goes something like this:

1. Start off with the premise that the devil is a spirit person.
2. A spirit person is invisible.
3. A spirit person is intelligent.
4. A spirit person is able to have a conversation.
5. A spirit person is able to teach.
6. A spirit person is able to act.

To prove the premise, they quote a variety of passages to establish their teaching and dismiss the thought that the devil is a spiritual force.  Then they rely on common sense and logic to determine that the devil must be a spirit person and not a spiritual force.The devil is invisible, intelligent, able to have a conversation, able to teach, and able to act.  Again, this method of interpretation is used to prove that the devil is not a spiritual force. 

However, they refuse to consistently use this method of interpretation to obtain the truth from the Bible. They are not interested in find the truth that is revealed in the scriptures.  They are only interested in “proving” that their teaching is true.  If we use the Watchtower method of determining the difference between a spiritual force and a spirit person, we would come to the conclusion that the Holy Spirit is a spirit person. 

1. Start off with the premise that the Holy Spirit is a spirit person.
2. A spirit person is invisible.
3. A spirit person is intelligent.
4. A spirit person is able to have a conversation.
5. A spirit person is able to teach.
6. A spirit person is able to act.

To prove the premise, we would quote a variety of passages to establish this teaching and dismiss the thought that the Holy Spirit is a spiritual force.  Relying on common sense and logic, we would conclude that the Holy Spirit is not a spiritual force.  The Holy Spirit is invisible, intelligent, able to have a conversation, able to teach, and able to act. 

However, the Watchtower organization teaches that the Holy Spirit is a spiritual force.  This is a complete contradiction.  If their method of interpretation can determine the difference between a spiritual force and a spirit person, then it should be used to determine whether or not the Holy Spirit is a spirit person or a spiritual force.

The problem is that they cannot  consistently use this method of interpretation that they have established for proving that both Jehovah  and the devil are spirit persons,.  They do not believe that the Holy Spirit is a spirit person.  They believe that the Holy Spirit is a spiritual force.

Instead of using the same method of interpretation, they engage in a system of deception to prove their teaching that the Holy Spirit is a not a spirit person.  To begin with, they deceptively translate Genesis 1 to establish their teaching.  Rather than literally translate the Hebrew, which reflects the truth that the Spirit of God is a distinct person from God who is speaking, the Watchtower translates as follows:

“In [the] beginning God created the heavens and the earth.  Now the earth proved to be formless and waste and there was darkness upon the surface of [the] watery deep; and God’s active force was moving to and fro over the surface of the waters.”

The Hebrew is clear.  The Spirit of God was present with God in the beginning creating all things.  Here we are taught that there were two persons creating.  The person of the Spirit of God, who was hovering over the waters, and the person of God who was speaking.  Also, keep in mind that from John’s gospel chapter one, we learn that there was an additional person namely the Word of God who was also present at the beginning creating all things.  All three persons, God, the Spirit of God, and the Word of God are eternal.  Yet, the Watchtower teaches that an active force was present with the person of God.

Again, the Old Testament makes it clear that the Holy Spirit is a person and not a spiritual force or power.  The Prophet Zechariah writes, “Then he said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts.” (Zechariah 4:6, ESV)   Here we are taught that the Spirit of Jehovah is not a power.

Again, the Watchtower translation is deceptive using wording that reflects their teaching.  They add to the Hebrew as follows:

“Accordingly he answered and said to me: “This is the word of Jehovah to Ze·rub´ba·bel, saying, ‘“Not by a military force, nor by power, but by my spirit,” Jehovah of armies has said.”

They add  the word “force” which is not found in the Hebrew text.  This is done in order to mislead the reader into thinking that the contrast is merely between a military force or power of man on the one hand and the power of Jehovah on the other hand.

The Scripture makes it clear that the Holy Spirit teaches and speaks which the Watchtower organization declares that a spiritual power cannot do.  It is clear from the Scriptures that the Holy Spirit is intelligent and able to hold a conversation, speak, and teach.

Here are some examples:

“And the Spirit of the Lord fell upon me, and he said to me, “Say, Thus says the Lord: So you think, O house of Israel. For I know the things that come into your mind.” (Ezekiel 11:5, ESV)

“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. ” (Revelation 2:7, 11, 17, 29; 3:6, 13, 22 ESV)

Jesus said to His disciples, “And when they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not be anxious about how you should defend yourself or what you should say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.”” (Luke 12:11–12, ESV)

Just as Jesus taught the disciples, also the Holy Spirit will teach them.  Likewise, Jesus says, “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” (John 14:26, ESV)  Again a spiritual force does not teach.  A person teaches

The Holy Spirit talks to Philip.  “And the Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and join this chariot.”” (Acts 8:29, ESV)  Likewise a prophet came to Paul and told Him what the Holy Spirit had taught him.  He quotes the words of the Holy Spirit in Acts chapter twenty-one.  “And coming to us, he took Paul’s belt and bound his own feet and hands and said, “Thus says the Holy Spirit, ‘This is how the Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.’ ”” (Acts 21:11, ESV)

Paul reveals to Timothy what the Holy Spirit had told him saying,  “Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons,” (1 Timothy 4:1, ESV) In this passage it is important to note that there is a contrast being made between the teaching of the person of the Holy Spirit and the persons of the deceitful spirits.  The Spirit of Truth teaches the truth.  The deceitful spirits teach falsehood. 

Once again, we can see the cover up and deceit of the Watchtower organization.  Rather than show this clear contrast between “spirit persons” they dishonestly translate this passage as follows:

“However, the inspired utterance says definitely that in later periods of time some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to misleading inspired utterances and teachings of demons” 

The Greek text is clear that the person of the Spirit of God is speaking, but they insert the phrase “inspired utterance” because they refuse to believe that the Holy Spirit is a person who speaks and teaches us.

They use this same trick to translate John’s first epistle.  The English Standard Version translates it this way:

“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God,” (1 John 4:1–2, ESV)

The Watchtower organization dishonestly adds their teaching to the text to hide the reality of the contrast between the person of the Holy Spirit and the persons of the false spirits.  They translate it as follows:

“Beloved ones, do not believe every inspired expression, but test the inspired expressions to see whether they originate with God, because many false prophets have gone forth into the world.  YOU gain the knowledge of the inspired expression from God by this: Every inspired expression that confesses Jesus Christ as having come in the flesh originates with God,”

Again, the Greek text is clear.  We are given a contrast between the person of the Spirit of God and the persons of the false spirits.

Furthermore, John says,

“By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error.” (1 John 4:6, ESV)

The Watchtower disagrees with John who identifies the Spirit of God as a person who is intelligent, able to teach, and hold a conversation.  Thus, they have to distort John’s words to agree with their teaching.  They translate as follows:

“This is how we take note of the inspired expression of truth and the inspired expression of error.”

The scriptures are clear.  We are warned so that we follow the truth as taught to us by the Spirit of Truth and resist the errors taught by the spirits of error.

Not only does the Watchtower refuse to use their method of interpretation to determine if the Holy Spirit is a “spirit person” and distort their translation of the text, they also employ a method of “proving” that the Holy Spirit is just a spiritual force by noting that the Bible regularly refers to the “pouring out of the Spirit.”  They immediately conclude that a person cannot be poured out.  They note that substances like water are poured out and fill vessels.  Again, they rely on common sense and logic. 

This is a complete smoke and mirror show that would make any magician proud.  They draw your attention to a few passages in one hand so that you will not look at the passages hidden in the other hand.  They feed on human reason and philosophy.  The Bible warns us of such trickery.  “See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.” (Colossians 2:8, ESV) 

After showing a few passages about the Holy Spirit being poured out and filling a person, they then arouse the rational mind and say something like,

“Now is it reasonable to say that a person can be poured out into another person?  Is it reasonable to say that a person can fill another person?  Clearly, the Holy Spirit can’t be a person.”

Take note of how many times the use the word “reasonable.”  Every time that they use that mantra, it should be a red flag that they are feeding on the rational mind and its understanding of things.  The way of fallen reason is the way of the Watchtower.  It is the way of the world.  The way of the Lord is to be renewed in our thinking.  Thus, Paul teaches us, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Romans 12:2, ESV)

If the Watchtower organization was honest, they would note that similar imagery of pouring and filling are used for “spirit persons.”  In the book of Second Chronicles, we are told that Jehovah put a “spirit person” into the mouth of the lying prophets.  We read about this in chapter eighteen,

“Then a spirit came forward and stood before the Lord, saying, ‘I will entice him.’ And the Lord said to him, ‘By what means?’ And he said, ‘I will go out, and will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’ And he said, ‘You are to entice him, and you shall succeed; go out and do so.’ Now therefore behold, the Lord has put a lying spirit in the mouth of these your prophets. The Lord has declared disaster concerning you.”” (2 Chronicles 18:20–22, ESV)

To use the same logic that the Watchtower uses against the person of the Holy Spirit, we would have to say, “Is it reasonable to say that a person can be put into the mouth of another person?  Thus, the lying spirit was not a person, but rather a spiritual force.

Likewise, we know that unclean spirits filled people and could even be sent into animals.  That is why Jesus cast the unclean spirits out of people.  In Matthew chapter eight we read,

“And the demons begged him, saying, “If you cast us out, send us away into the herd of pigs.” And he said to them, “Go.” So they came out and went into the pigs, and behold, the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned in the waters.” (Matthew 8:31–32, ESV)

Even Satan was in Judas.  Luke writes, “Then Satan entered into Judas called Iscariot, who was of the number of the twelve.” (Luke 22:3, ESV)

Again, if the Watchtower was honest and consistent, they would have to conclude that the unclean spirits are spiritual forces because it is not reasonable to have a spirit person enter into a person.  Just as they disregard the intelligent conversations of the person of the Holy Spirit, they should disregard the intelligent conversations of the false spirits.

Notice that both the person of the Holy Spirit and the person of the Son of God can clothe you and dwell in you.

The Holy Spirit is the promised by Jesus and before His ascension Christ says, “And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”” (Luke 24:49, ESV)  Paul says, “For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have been clothed with Christ.” (Galatians 3:27)  We are clothed with both the person of the Holy Spirit and the person of the Son of God.

Paul also says, “Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?” (1 Corinthians 3:16, ESV)  As the Holy Spirit dwells in us, the Son of God also dwells in us.  Paul writes, “so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love,” (Ephesians 3:17, ESV)

The Scriptures warn us, “Whoever speaks the truth gives honest evidence, but a false witness utters deceit.” (Proverbs 12:17, ESV)  We must heed this warning recognizing the Watchtower organization as false witnesses who utter deceit.