The Christadelphian Jesus

As we continue to look at the Jesus of the cults, we come to The Christadelphians.

Who are The Christadelphians?

You may have seen a Christadelphian Hall in your community. They are usually quite plain looking with a noticeboard on the wall inviting you to a Bible talk. Having the word ‘Christ’ in their name and seeing the word ‘Bible’ on their building, you would think it safe to assume that they are just another Christian denomination, but they are not.

Of course, like all the so called ‘Christian’ cults, The Christadelphians would claim to be Christian and believe themselves to be the only ones preaching the ‘whole truth’.

The Christadelphians were founded by John Thomas in the USA in 1838. Thomas was a British doctor who desired to bring people back to the Bible. Allegedly frustrated by the sectarianism he found within Christianity, he sought to build Christian belief on teachings and practice found only in the Bible.

At the outset, Thomas may have had good intentions but what he founded, and what we are left with today, is a non-Christian cult far removed from historic, Biblical Christianity. If you want to know more about The Christadelphians, consider getting hold of Michael Thomas’s excellent Biblical Investigation Booklet.[1]

This post is concerned with one question: Who is the ‘Jesus’ of the Christadelphians?

Jesus

Like most cults who claim to be Christian, the Christadelphian’s deny the Doctrine of the Trinity and the Deity of Jesus. That alone is enough to put them outside of historic Christianity but let us consider more closely what they do teach. Here are three things they say about Jesus:

1)  Jesus pre-existed only in the mind of God.

2)  Jesus a created being.

3)  Jesus is the Son of God not God the Son.

 

Jesus pre-existed only in the mind of God.

Did Jesus exist before God placed him in Mary’s womb? Yes, say The Christadelphians, but he existed only in the mind of God.

According to them, Jesus existed as part of God’s plan for mankind, but he only came into existence when the time came for the plan to be executed. In this sense Jesus was just like Jeremiah who said:

Now the word of the Lord came to me, saying,

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
and before you were born I consecrated you;
I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”  (Jeremiah 1:4-5)

Just as Jeremiah did not literally exist before his arrival into his mother’s womb, so Jesus did not literally exist prior to the Holy Spirit placing him into Mary’s womb. Both existed in God’s mind and were part of God’s plan of salvation, but neither had a prior existence.

Now we can agree with this regarding Jeremiah, but not the Lord Jesus. Why? Because of the overwhelming evidence of Scripture.

But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah,
from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days. (Micah 5:2 bold mine)

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (John 1:1)

Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” (John 8:58)

And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.  (John 17:5)

And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. (Colossians 1:17)

He is without father or mother or genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God he continues a priest forever.       (Hebrews 7:3)

 

Jesus a created being.

Jesus was a "manifestation of the Father in human form."[2]

Denying that Jesus had a literal pre-existence, The Christadelphians claim that Jesus was a creation of the Father. Jesus was a ‘type’ of the Father; he was more than a man but less than God. In teaching this they create an exclusive category of existence for Jesus, one which is foreign to Scripture.

To support their errant doctrine, they use all the same ‘out of context’ bible verses employed by the Jehovah’s Witnesses, Mormons, Islam etc. to deny the deity of Jesus. These verses usually speak of the humanity of Jesus. But cults either wilfully or ignorantly misapply them.

Church history is littered with those who, denying the plain teaching of the Bible, seek to fit Jesus into a system that makes more sense to them. There is no doubt that it is a struggle to get our finite minds to fully understand the infinite God, but this should not lead us to create a lesser God, one that we can comprehend. We believe by faith all that Scripture reveals regarding the person of Jesus.

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.  And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.          (Colossians 1:15-17 bold mine)

All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. (John 1:3 bold mine)

 

Jesus is the Son of God not God the Son

The Christadelphians use the term ‘Son of God’ but, as we have seen, it does not mean they have the ‘right’ Jesus. To them Jesus is purely the created human son of God. He has the character and mind of his Father and the humanity of his mother. In that sense, they say Jesus is the son of God and the son of man, but as we see they misunderstand both titles.

Like many cults claiming to be the true Christians, The Christadelphians argue that it wasn’t until the fourth century that Jesus was called God the Son. Therefore, they claim this title is not Scriptural, but rather manufactured and so should not be used. They would claim the same for the term ‘trinity’. But like the word ‘trinity’, the designation ‘God’s Son’ is used not because it is a scriptural term, but rather in defence of biblical truth. Have they never read John 3:16?

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”

There is something important to note here. In calling himself the Son of God, Jesus was not, at least in the minds of the Jews, necessarily pointing to his deity. Others, like Adam, Solomon even angels were sometimes designated sons of God; rather it was the title ‘Son of Man’ that pointed to his deity.

And Jesus said, “I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.” (Mark 14:62)

“I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.” (Daniel 7:13-14)

No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. (John 3:13)

But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the man who was paralyzed—“I say to you, rise, pick up your bed and go home.” (Luke 5:24)

When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. (Matthew 25:31-32)

Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and seated on the cloud one like a son of man, with a golden crown on his head, and a sharp sickle in his hand. (Revelation 14:14)

All these verses point to a ‘Son of Man’ who has power and authority, one who will receive glory and honour. This is no created being as The Christadelphians teach. As J. Oswald Sanders said:

“If Jesus is not God, then there is no Christianity, and we who worship Him are nothing more than idolaters. Conversely, if He is God, those who say He was merely a good man, or even the best of men, are blasphemers. More serious still, if He is not God, then He is a blasphemer in the fullest sense of the word. If He is not God, He is not even good.”[3]

Jesus is good and He is God!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                           

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[1] Christadelphians - Biblical Investigation Series - Reachout Trust

[2] John Thomas – Christendom Astray p.107

[3] J. Oswald Sanders, The Incomparable Christ: The Person and Work of Jesus Christ

 

This is a Bible

Image by Pedro Ivo Pereira Vieira Pedin from Pixabay 

When you are struggling with a problem, when your plans don’t seem to be working out, when you wonder, ‘why is this so intractable, have I missed something?’ there is great wisdom in going back to first principles. This is especially true of Bible understanding.

Writing at some length about the priestly role of Jesus, the writer to the Hebrews goes on:

‘About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.’ Hebrews 5:11-14

We notice several things in this passage:

• This is a key teaching, about which much might be said.

• It is a mature teaching but, ’it is hard to explain…’ because...

• The readers are ill-prepared to receive it, are, ‘dull of hearing.’

• The writer is disappointed, ‘by this time you ought to be teachers,’ but faces the facts;

• They need to go back to first principles, ‘you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God.’

The problem here is, they have been taught the basics, but need to be taught them again. This is censure for people who should know better. It is, and should be, embarrassing for the readers of this letter that they should still need milk because of their immaturity. ‘Solid food,’ they (and we) are told, ‘is for the mature, for those who have the powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.’

The power of discernment doesn’t just happen. It isn’t simply telegraphed from the throne in the moment of need, as some would have us believe. The power of discernment, the Bible tells us, is trained by constant practice. James urges:

‘Be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets, but a doer who acts, will be blessed in his doing.’ James 1:22-25

Peter writes:

‘For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.’ 2 Peter 1:5-8

If we are to be the saints Peter describes, adding virtue to virtue, if we are to be the wise doer of the word James writes about, then we must begin with the word, look into the perfect law of liberty and treasure up in our hearts what we read and hear carrying it into our days,

The tragedy, as we saw in my last post, is that we are awash with Bibles, yet Bible reading is at an all time low. Don’t be misled by recent evidence that the pandemic has driven more people back to their Bibles. This, I am sure, is true but it makes little difference to the shocking Bible illiteracy that marks the church at the beginning of the 21^st century.

Indeed, when people are driven back to the Word in times of great stress and insecurity, it is not understanding they seek but comfort. This has its place, but the comfort and strength we need comes not from soothing words but from solid wisdom, foundational teaching, the great truths of the Bible. Perhaps we need to go right back to the most basic principle, this is a Bible, and build from there.

THE JESUS OF MORMONISM

 

Upon joining my current church, I was keen to get to know people. I had previously been a teacher, so I had experience of quickly getting to grips with names, but on my first Sunday at church, I realised it wasn’t going to be that easy.

After the service I was introduced to not one, not two, not three but four sets of identical twins, and when I say identical, I mean identical.  So closely did one twin resemble the other that, in the style of one of my literary heroes, Sherlock Holmes, I began to scan them for any clues that might help me. I found nothing. They looked the same, sounded the same and even dressed so similarly, that I believed their parents may still be buying their clothes.

Afraid of getting their names wrong, I began to call them ‘brother’ and ‘sister’, (which is the Christian version of calling someone whose name you can’t remember ‘mate’); after all I did not want to offend them, nor embarrass myself.

One set of twins (the lads – the rest were girls), were particularly troublesome. They both got jobs in local supermarkets, and I often bumped into them whilst shopping; but which lad worked in which supermarket? In the end I developed a system to help me. Their names began with L and A. L worked in Asda and D worked in Sainsburys. So, I developed the acronym LADS (L/Asda and D/Sainsbury). Result – but only when I saw them at work!

By sight and speech, I couldn’t tell one twin from another, so what was I to do? Well, I had to spend time with them, learning what set them apart. As I did, I discovered that they had different personalities, different likes and dislikes and I began to tell them apart by just listening to what they said. I had to go beyond the surface and dig a little deeper, so that I could tell them apart.

Nice little story Tony, but what has this got to do with the Mormon Jesus? I’m glad you asked.

Just as I had problems telling the twins apart, so often Christians can have the same problem telling true and false Christians apart. Some ‘false’ Christians look and sound so much like true Christians – that we cannot at first glance, tell them apart.

DIGGING DEEPER

If you were to ask a Mormon about Jesus, they may likely reply along the following lines.

Jesus is my Lord and Saviour.

Jesus is the Son of God.

Jesus was the promised Messiah.

Jesus performed miracles.

Jesus died on a cross and rose physically from the dead.

Jesus, through the atonement, paid for my sin.

Based on those answers, we might assume that Christians and Mormons are ‘identical twins’, but don’t be fooled. Just as I had to dig a little deeper to ‘spot the difference’, we too must do the same with our Mormon friends.

THE MORMON JESUS

As a Church we have critics, many of them. They say we do not believe in the traditional Christ of Christianity. There is some substance to what they say.[1]

Mormons reject the ‘traditional’ Jesus of historic Christianity. They teach that the Jesus of the Churches is, at best, a deformed one; the product of tradition, historical councils, and a Bible that is only as good as far as it has been translated correctly.[2] It was therefore necessary for Heavenly Father to ‘restore’ to the earth, the true Church, and the true Jesus, through the prophet Joseph Smith.

The 15^th President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Gordon B. Hinckley, was happy to tell the world that theirs is a ‘different’ Jesus:

“In bearing testimony of Jesus Christ, President Hinckley spoke of those outside the Church who say Latter-day Saints ‘do not believe in the traditional Christ.’ ‘No, I don’t. The traditional Christ of whom they speak is not the Christ of whom I speak. For the Christ of whom I speak has been revealed in this the Dispensation of the Fullness of Times. He together with His Father, appeared to the boy Joseph Smith in the year 1820, and when Joseph left the grove that day, he knew more of the nature of God than all the learned ministers of the gospel of the ages.'”[3]

THE MORMON JESUS vs THE TRADITIONAL JESUS

Here are 5 differences between the Jesus of Mormonism and the Jesus of the Bible.

1)The Mormon Jesus is a procreated being. He is the firstborn son of Heavenly Father and one of his wives. 

“Among the spirit-children of Elohim, the firstborn was and is Jehovah or Jesus Christ to whom all others are juniors.”[4]

The Bible teaches that Jesus is uncreated and has existed eternally.

The Apostle Paul said of Jesus:

‘And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.’  Colossians 1:17

Thomas speaking to Jesus called him God:

‘Thomas said: My Lord and My God’ John 20:28

Jesus declares himself to be without beginning or end:

“Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” Revelation 22:12,13

2)  The Mormon Jesus is the spirit brother of Lucifer.

“Long before you were born a program was developed by your creators. …The principal personalities in this great drama were a Father Elohim, perfect in wisdom, judgment, and person, and two sons, Lucifer and Jehovah.”[5] 

The Bible teaches that Jesus created Lucifer:

^‘For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.’  (Colossians 1:16)

‘All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made.’ John 1:3

3)  The Mormon Jesus was born to Mary as the result of Heavenly Father having sexual relations with her.

“Christ was begotten by an Immortal Father in the same way that mortal men are begotten by mortal fathers.”[6]

According to Mormon theology, before being born we all existed as the spirit children of Heavenly Father and his wives. Mary was one of these children. To then teach that Heavenly Father came to the now mortal Mary and had sexual relations with her to produce the mortal Jesus, is surely a type of spiritual incest.

This is nowhere found in the Bible. Rather, we read that Mary was told by the angel that:

“The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.”  Luke 1:35

4)  The Mormon Jesus only atoned for Adam’s sin.

“We believe that men will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam’s transgression.”[7]

The Bible teaches that Jesus atoned for our sins:

He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. 

1 Peter 2:24   (Bold mine)

For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures…  

1 Corinthians 15:3  (Bold mine)

5)  The Mormon Jesus became a God

“Jesus became a God and reached His great state of understanding through consistent effort and continuous obedience to all the Gospel truths and universal laws.”[8]

The Bible teaches that Jesus is eternally God.

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.   Isaiah 9:6 (Bold mine)

‘In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.’  John 1:1  (Bold mine)

‘…waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ…’  Titus 2:13   (Bold mine)

As can be clearly seen, the Mormon Jesus is not the historical and Biblical Jesus. Theirs is a Jesus who cannot save them.

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[1] President Hinckley: We look to Christ - Church News (thechurchnews.com)

[2] LDS – Articles of Faith 8

[3] (LDS Church News Week ending June 20, 1998, p. 7).

[4] James Talmage, Articles of Faith, 425.

[5] Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, pp32-33, ellipses mine

[6] McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, 546-547.

[7] LDS -Articles of Faith 2

[8] Milton R. Hunter, The Gospel Through the Ages, p.51

But by Every Word...Mt.4:4

 8 in 10 individuals who were hospitalized by COVID-19 said they wished they had used the Bible more.’

As we begin a New Year Reachout Trust is committed to encouraging Bible reading, which is in a poor state across the church. We have more and better access to a dizzying choice of Bibles, electronic Bibles having become very popular over recent years. It is reported YouVersion’s Bible App gives us free access to 1,839 Bible versions in 1,275 languages.

Christianity Today reported Bible reading in the US has fallen away during the pandemic:

‘Between early 2019 and 2020, the percentage of US adults who say they use the Bible daily dropped from 14 percent to 9 percent, according to the State of the Bible 2020 report released by the Barna Group and the American Bible Society (ABS).’

The troubling headline above comes from that report, saying, ‘Individuals were most likely to report an increase in Bible engagement if a family member in their household or a neighbor died from COVID-19. 8 in 10 individuals who were hospitalized by COVID-19 said they wished they had used the Bible more.’

In January 2019, Christianity reported that ‘most Christian millennials in the UK (51%) engage with the Bible a few times a year, or less. Only 9% read the Bible every day and a mere 13% look at the scriptures “a few times a week”.

We are told that, “All Scripture is God-breathed, and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16)

The term ‘God-breathed’, or divinely breathed, gives the clear sense of Scripture being the word of God Himself, God’s words to man and through man, rather than simply man’s attempt at writing his own account unaided. The Bible is God’s Word to us today.

When the Sadducees attempted to catch Jesus out on a point of law he immediately turned to Scripture, saying, ‘You are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God.’ (Mt.22:29)

How often have I spoken to people caught out on a cult question for no other reason than they don’t know the Scriptures? The Bible is our resource in witnessing, in understanding Gods purpose in creation and redemption.

We are also told that, “Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name” (John 20:30-31)

Much more material, then, was available to the disciples who witnessed and knew much more than they have passed on. However, in the purposes of God, these things were written ‘that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ’.

The purpose and end of Scripture is that we may believe aright, not simply that we get our account straight, but ‘that [we] may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing [we] may have life in him.’

The Bible is God’s Word to the lost, that they may believe and be saved, to the saved that we may grow in the things of God. Scripture is there to give us encouragement and hope (Romans 15:4). The events recounted there are for examples and warnings (1 Corinthians 10:11), that we may believe in Jesus and, in believing, know life through him. Peter writes:

‘His divine power has granted us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his glory and excellence.’ (2 Peter 1:3). The Bible tells us of him. Don’t wait until you’re loved ones are fretting around your hospital bed before you pick up the book.

Pick up your Bible and read it; today, tomorrow, every day, and find sustenance for your life, assurance for your soul, and a sure hope for eternity.

Jesus loves me this I know for the Bible tells me so...'

WHO DO YOU SAY THAT I AM? THE ‘JESUS’ OF THE JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES

 

Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved. For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.  (Romans 10:1-4 ESV)

There is a vast difference between knowing someone and knowing about someone. For example, upon meeting for the first time a footballer from my favourite team, I may be able to dazzle him with my knowledge of how many clubs he has played for and how many goals he has scored. I could further impress him by naming his wife and children and perhaps freak him out a little, as I can tell him what kind of car he drives and recite his registration plate.

Though this may impress him, and worry him in equal measure, he would probably say: ‘Excuse me. Who are you?’ You see as much as I know about him, I do not know him – and he does not know me!

I mention this because it is applicable to the subject under consideration namely the Jesus of the Jehovah’s Witnesses.

 IT’S ALL IN YOUR HEAD

According to the Jehovah’s Witnesses, everlasting life is contingent upon a person knowing the truth about Jesus.

‘…if you know the truth about Jehovah and Jesus, you can live forever on a paradise earth. (John 14:6) Also, knowing about Jesus will help because he is the best example of how to live and treat others. (John 13:34, 35).’[1]

My testimony is that as a Jehovah’s Witness, I knew about Jesus, but I did not know him. I could tell you about his life, where he was born, who his parents were, and who baptised him. I could talk endlessly about his miracles, his death, and his resurrection. I could quote chapter and verse yes, I knew a lot about him, but I did not know him.

This changed the moment I was born again by the Spirit of God. It was then that head knowledge became heart knowledge. I no longer just knew about him – I knew him!

I now know Jesus. I know he is alive; I know he has forgiven my sin; I know that he has saved me and, importantly, I know that Jesus knows me.

One of the favourite verses used by Jehovah’s Witnesses is John 17 verse 3.

“This means everlasting life, their coming to know you, the only true God, and the one whom you sent, Jesus Christ.” (John 17:3 - New World Translation 2013)

The Jehovah’s Witnesses teach that salvation is not attained through a relationship with Jesus Christ, but rather by having ‘accurate knowledge’ of him and, of course, they alone have that accurate knowledge.

SPOT THE DIFFERENCE

It may have been because many like me have discussed and challenged their understanding of John 17:3, that brought about the change in the 2013 revision of the New World Translation. Before the ‘silver sword’[2] appeared, the 1984 edition translated John 17:3 like this:

This means everlasting life, their taking in knowledge of you, the only true God, and of the one whom you sent forth, Jesus Christ. (John 17:3 - New World Translation 1984 Edition)

Did you spot the difference? They have changed: ‘their taking in knowledge of you’ (1984) to ‘their coming to know you’ (2013), thus bringing the NWT in line with mainstream translations. But let us not be fooled by this cover up. They have by no means conceded their error and changed their teaching; they still believe that ‘accurate knowledge’ is needed to have any chance of being saved. Note the footnote attached to John 17:3 in the 2013 revision:

 

I would certainly agree with the Jehovah’s Witnesses, that a person needs to have the ‘right’ Jesus. Who we believe Jesus to be will determine our eternal destiny. A false Jesus cannot save. 

Let us therefore imagine Jesus asking a Jehovah’s Witness the question: ‘Who do you say that I am?’ What would they say?

THE WATCHTOWER JESUS

Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that Jesus began life as a spirit creature, created by Jehovah; so, to them Jesus is not eternal. Jesus was Jehovah’s first creation, so, to them Jesus is not God. Before coming to earth Jesus was Michael the Archangel; so, to them Jesus is an angel.

Jesus somehow left his angelic status behind when he entered Mary’s womb as a human.

Jesus was a perfect sinless man, but he was only a man; so, to them Jesus is neither divine, nor the second person of the Trinity. They reject that Jesus was God in the flesh.

They teach that Jesus was just a man who did not become the Christ until his baptism. After fulfilling his ministry Jesus was put to death, not on a cross, but rather an upright pole they call a torture stake.

After being laid in a tomb, Jehovah dissolved Jesus’ body[3] and he became non-existent. Three days later Jehovah ‘recreated’ (for there was nothing left to resurrect) the Archangel Michael who then, over the next forty days, appeared in different bodies to various people; so, to them Jesus was raised spiritually not physically.

Jesus (or should we say Michael) then returned to Jehovah and since 1914 he has ruled from heaven. He will never again be seen visibly on the earth.

A DIFFERENT JESUS

It is clear to see that the Jesus of the Jehovah’s Witnesses, is hugely different to the Jesus of historical, biblical Christianity. In contending that they have the right Jesus, the Witnesses seek to condemn those who have a bible but who do not possess accurate knowledge.

From their article: Accurate Knowledge to Please Jehovah they say this of Christendom:  

While they do possess the Bible, God’s written revelation of his will for our day, they lack accurate knowledge. The inspired apostle aptly expresses the situation when he says: “Although they knew God, they did not glorify him as God nor did they thank him, but they became empty-headed in their reasonings and their unintelligent heart became darkened. Although asserting they were wise, they became foolish and turned the glory of the incorruptible God into something like the image of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed creatures and creeping things. And just as they did not approve of holding God in accurate knowledge, God gave them up to a disapproved mental state, to do the things not fitting.” (Rom. 1:21-23, 28, NWT)[4]

Sadly, unbeknown to them, these verses speak of the Jehovah’s Witnesses. It is they who are lacking accurate knowledge.

The Jesus of the Jehovah’s Witnesses is a false Jesus who cannot save them.

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[1] Who Is Jesus Christ? Is Jesus God or God’s Son? (jw.org)

[2] The Silver Sword is what the Jehovah’s Witnesses affectionately call their 2013 revised New World Translation

[3] The Watchtower, Sept. 1, 1953, page 518. “JESUS’ FLESHLY BODY DISSOLVED. What happened to the perfect fleshly body of Jesus after his death? Was it preserved so that in time men will look upon it in worship? or does Jesus still have this fleshly body in the heavens, ‘spiritualized’ so that it can be seen and worshiped? Neither. The Scriptures answer: It was disposed of by Jehovah God, dissolved into its constituent elements or atoms.”

[4] Accurate Knowledge to Please Jehovah — Watchtower ONLINE LIBRARY (jw.org)