This is an old explanation but pretty much what many jws use to convince themselves.
*** w64 10/1 pp. 607-608 Questions From Readers ***
● Is it right to say that Jehovah’s witnesses do a converting work or a proselyting work?
According to Webster’s Third New International Dictionary, to convert is “to bring over or persuade (a person or group) to a particular belief, view, course, party, or principle often from a previously held position” or “to bring about a spiritual conversion in (as a religious conversion in a person or group).” A proselyte is defined as “one who has been converted from one religious faith to another.” Hence, to proselyte is “to convert from one religion, belief, opinion, or party to another.” A proselytizer is therefore “one that makes or tries to make proselytes.”
In Bible times, some foreigners became converts to the Jews’ religion. They were referred to in the Christian Greek Scriptures by the Greek word prose′lytos, meaning “one who has come over to Judaism, a convert, proselyte.” (A Greek-English Lexicon, by Liddell, Scott and Drisler, 1849, page 1272) The Scriptures and Jesus himself called such ones proselytes, though this term is not applied in the Greek Scriptures to those converted to Christianity. (See Matthew 23:15; Acts 2:10; 6:5; 13:43.) Yet, according to modern dictionary usage, it can be said that a person who turns from some other religion to Christianity is a convert or proselyte.
The Greek word for “convert” is strépho, which means “to turn.” It is rendered “turn around” in the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures at Matthew 18:3, where Jesus said: “Unless you turn around and become as young children, you will by no means enter into the kingdom of the heavens.” A related word, epistrépho, meaning “to turn about” or “turn upon” is used at James 5:20, where it is said: “Know that he who turns a sinner back from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.” The Greek noun epistrophé, which is akin to epistrépho, means “a turning about, or round, conversion” and was used at Acts 15:3. At Acts 15:1-3 Luke did not try to avoid indicating that early Christians made converts. No, but after saying that Paul, Barnabas and others were sent to inquire of the apostles and older men at Jerusalem regarding circumcision, he explained that during their journey “these men continued on their way through both Phoenicia and Samaria, relating in detail the conversion of people of the nations.” So, when persons at that time embraced Christianity, they were converted.—See An Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, W. E. Vine, pages 238, 239.
To his followers Jesus said: “Go therefore and make disciples of people of all the nations, . . . teaching them to observe all the things I have commanded you.” (Matt. 28:19, 20) Were they not to do proselyting work, to make disciples? Indeed they were, and Christ’s modern-day followers do the same thing. If turning pagans from false worship to Judaism was proselyting them, then, also, turning pagans to Christianity means proselyting them. Of course, they do not use force or unchristian methods in their preaching work. No coercion is employed to bring about conversion. Instead, Biblical truths are taught today by Jehovah’s Christian witnesses. Those with righteous hearts respond to the truth. It is not the personal force of the minister that changes the person, for Christ said: “No man can come to me unless the Father, who sent me, draws him.” (John 6:44) It is the truth of God’s Word, as preached by Jehovah’s witnesses, that sets persons free from religious bondage. (John 8:32) Those who hear the message of truth must individually decide whether to accept or reject it. They determine whether to turn around, to make a change in life, to quit being fashioned after this system of things and become converts to true Christianity.—Rom. 12:2.
But Jehovah’s witnesses are doing a proselyting work, a work of conversion, just like that of the early Christians. Due to their ministry, hundreds of thousands of persons have abandoned Babylon the Great. And we joyfully look to the future, for there still remains some time for others to heed the admonition: “Get out of her, my people.”—Rev. 18:4.
