During a recent business trip to Shanghai, I found myself out in the rain. As evening set in, I decided to pull out my phone and look for somewhere to eat. After coming across a hot pot buffet restaurant, I just walked in.
Once I was seated by the waiter, the two young women at the next table greeted me with unexpected warmth. They occasionally engaged me in conversation, asking where I was from. Having previously encountered heretics who approached me at church, their friendliness made me cautious. I continued to enjoy my hot pot while chatting with them now and then, considering that I might find an opportunity to share my faith. So, I asked how they became friends, and one of the young women responded that they enjoyed reading the same types of books. Intrigued, I followed up, "What kind of books do you read?" The first thought that came to mind was typical inspirational content for women found on WeChat's official accounts, and I wondered if that was how they connected.
"They're simply books that provide insights into various aspects of life, such as parenting, relationships, marriage, work, family, and self-perception, things like that," the young women replied.
"After reading all those books, what do you think is the most important thing in life?" I asked
One of the young women turned the question back to me, "What do you think?"
I replied candidly, "The most significant thing in my life is my faith."
"You have faith?" they reacted enthusiastically.
"I'm a Christian. How about you?"
They affirmed their faith. Assuming I had found kindred spirits, I asked where they usually attended services. One of them replied, "We don't have services. We just study on our own. There are no regular meetings."
"Then you don't go to services?" I probed further.
They responded, "We don't like rules and regulations like these. What's most important is what the 'book' says." Then they asked me, "As a Christian, do you know why there's a New Testament and an Old Testament? How are they different?"
I replied, "The New Testament and the Old Testament can't be read separately; the Old Testament serves as a foreshadowing of the New Testament."
Curious about their lack of services, I asked, "Don't you have communions?"
They explained, "Communion was meant for the people of that era, in that specific context." Then they pulled out their Bibles. (I later verified that this Bible translation is produced by Jehovah's Witnesses. According to an article on the Gospel Coalition website discussing nine facts about Jehovah's Witnesses, this translation has faced significant criticism for altering the original meanings and wording of the Bible to align with their beliefs.) They flipped to a passage and pointed it out to me, stressing that modern believers only need to follow the instructions from the Jerusalem Council in Acts Chapter 15. This includes abstaining from food offered to idols, consuming blood, not eating the meat of strangled animals, and steering clear of sexual immorality.
"Surely, there's a history and a source behind your practice, right? Which church do you belong to?" I kept asking for more information.
They insisted, "We don't have a church. We just pursue the truth and do whatever the book says; we learn on our own."
I was still doubtful. "You can't have created all this just by yourself, can you? It must originate from somewhere." At that moment, I started to wonder whether they belonged to a group of believers who were not interested in traditional church institutions. Isn't there a saying in some countries that goes, "I believe in Jesus, but not in religion?" It appeared to me that these young women were in a similar situation.
As our discussion progressed, I sensed something was amiss. Nevertheless, they did not seem like members of the Shincheonji cult (the Shincheonji Church of Jesus from South Korea) to me. Out of the blue, a thought occurred to me: "Are you Jehovah's Witnesses?"
They looked surprised. "You know about us?"
I raised some questions regarding some of the ideas they shared about Jesus and the Holy Spirit. They responded with a query, "Does the term 'Trinity' ever appear in the Bible?" I was momentarily at a loss for words.
I attempted to counter, "But Paul often included in his blessings, 'May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all,' which clearly lists all three together. Plus, the Bible says that the Spirit intercedes for us with wordless groans (Romans 8:26), indicating that the Holy Spirit is a person rather than merely a force as you suggested."
Immediately, one of the sisters presented the Jehovah's Witnesses study materials to me. As she discussed the Holy Spirit, she stated, "This is an example of personification. There are also passages that mention 'being filled with the Holy Spirit,' which indicates that the Holy Spirit is simply a force, not a person."
During our conversation, I learned that the young women were against blood transfusions and opposed to participating in war. However, the heart of their beliefs lied in their rejection of the Trinity doctrine; they saw Jesus as a created being and viewed the Holy Spirit merely as an active force. These young women were incredibly dedicated to their beliefs and had a comprehensive set of study materials to support their views.
During the hour of dining, they frequently referred to their materials to answer my questions. By the end of the meal, the young women even invited me to learn more about their "book." I politely declined their offer.
After leaving the mall, I began researching Jehovah's Witnesses and came across several accounts from former members that really made me worry about those two young women. More importantly, this unexpected encounter made me realize just how essential it is for Christians to understand and uphold our core beliefs. In a lecture I attended on how early Christianity defended itself against heresies, the speaker pointed out that the biblical canon and the Apostles' Creed were created in direct response to the various heretical challenges of that time. Even with a bit of background in theology, I still found myself perplexed by their obscure and self-contained explanations. I can only imagine how confusing it must be for the average lay believer. This experience serves as a reminder that it is crucial for Christians to systematically and clearly study doctrines and catechisms, in order to establish a solid foundation for their faith, as this pertains to the safety of our spiritual life and the ability to discern truth.
(The author is a believer from Yunnan.)
Originally published by the Gospel Times
- Translated by Joyce Leung
