The Word: Mighty, or Almighty?

Jehovah's Witnesses struggle with the idea of one God in three person's. Who doesn’t? How do they resolve this to their own satisfaction?

They reason:

'The statement “the Word was with God” indicates that two separate persons are discussed in the verse. It is not possible for the Word to be “with God” and at the same time be God Almighty. The context also confirms that the Word is not Almighty God. John 1:18 states that “no man has seen God at any time.” However, people did see the Word, Jesus, for John 1:14 states that “the Word became flesh and resided among us, and we had a view of his glory.”

Is there a difference between 'God' and 'Almighty God,' as they insist? If 'no man has seen God at any time' how is it possible for Jesus to be seen and be God?

Revelation 3:14

I ended my last post without addressing the question, ‘Is the NWT accurate and reliable when it translates Revelation 3:14, 'the beginning of the creation by God'?’ I want to address that here and demonstrate the ‘Mighty’ and Almighty’ are not only not biblical categories but the distinction doesn’t make sense in light of what Revelation says about Jesus.

‘To the angel of the congregation in Laodicea write: ‘These are the things that the Amen says, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation by God.’’ Revelation 3:14 NWT

‘And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: ‘The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s creation.’’ Revelation 3:14 ESV

Jehovah’s Witnesses teach ‘the beginning of the creation by God’ means the first thing to be created, making Jesus a creature. The New World mistranslation inserts ‘by’ where the Greek gives ‘of’, making the verse bend to Watch Tower eisegesis. ‘By God’ makes God the agent of creation, and Christ the first created. ‘Of God’ makes Christ the creator, as clearly taught in John’s gospel:

‘All things came into existence through him, and apart from him not even one thing came into existence.’ John 1:3 NWT

Even the New World Translation confesses, ‘apart from him not even one thing came into existence.’

Two Gods, one Mighty, one Almighty

Is Jesus ‘Mighty’ and is the Father ‘Almighty’?

Doug Harris explains:

‘The Watchtower argues that because the first ‘God’ in John 1:1 is preceded by the Greek definite article ‘the’ it must have a big ‘G’ and refer to Jehovah. However the second ‘god’ does not have the definite article and so is translated ‘a god’, and refers to the ‘little god’, Jesus.

‘What most Jehovah’s Witnesses have not seen, however, is that in John 1:18 there is no definite

article connected with the first theontranslated ‘God’, but the second theosis followed by the definite article ‘the one’ and yet it is translated ‘god’. Add to this the meaning of the term ‘only-begotten’ (see p.82) and this verse says no man has ever seen God but now God the unique Son, clothed in flesh, reveals God in a way that can be seen by men..

‘The Society also uses an argument that speaks of Jesus being ‘with’ God and then asks ‘how can He also be God?’ This does not stand the test of comparing Scripture with Scripture.

‘The Father is God, and Jesus is God. Therefore, Jesus the Word was with God, but that does not make Him any less part of the Godhead. To check this out look at Heb.1:3.’

The text in John 1:18 reads:

‘ No man has seen God at anytime, the only-begotten god who is at the Father’s side is the one who has explained him.’ John 1:18 NWT

‘No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.’ John 1:18 ESV

The word translated ‘explained’ in the NWT, and ‘made him known,’ in the ESV is exēgēsato which translates, ‘declared.’ Jesus declaration of God amounts to much more than an explanation. He said to Philip, ‘Whoever has seen me has seen the Father’ ESV.

The NWT adds ‘also’ making it sound as though Jesus is saying, ‘In addition to seeing me you have seen the Father,’ but the text goes on to say, ‘I am in the Father and the Father is in me’ ESV. Again, the NWT adds to the text, ‘I am in union with the Father and the Father is in union with me.’ This makes it sound like unity of purpose, but Jesus is God the Son, making them unified in essence, the Trinity doctrine.

Mormon Christians? Whats in a Name?

The Mormon Church, disturbed by the continuing identifying of polygamus sects in the news with the name Mormon, recently issued a press statement aimed at "clarifying" issues. It is interesting to note that if you substitute the name "Christian" where they use the name "Mormon" it makes a very good argument for us against the claims of the Mormon Church. The full press release is reproduced below in italics with each paragraph rewritten in ordinary text to present it from a Christian perspective. SALT LAKE CITY 10 July 2008 On 26 June, Newsroom published a package of information featuring profiles of ordinary Latter-day Saints in Texas. With no other intention but to define themselves, these members provided a tangible depiction of what their faith is all about. They serve as the best distinction between the lifestyles and values of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and a Texas-based polygamous group that has recently attracted media attent...

The Times of the Gentiles - by Dawn Partington

Jehovah's Witnesses teach that “the times of the gentiles” is a time period of 2,520 years, beginning in 607BC and ending in AD1914. According to their doctrine, Jesus was enthroned as King in AD1914 when the “gentile times” ended. 1. Only one verse in scripture mentions “the times of the gentiles”: 'They will fall by the sword and will be taken as prisoners to all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.' Luke 21:24 NIV. The Jehovah's Witness organisation has linked this one verse with other prophetic passages to calculate the supposed length of these “gentile times”, notably a time period which began hundreds of years before the incarnation and ended over 1900 years after it. 2. Simple examination of the text of Luke 21 reveals what Jesus was referring to when he used the phrase “the times of the gentiles”. Let's look at the passage together and distil this into four points which you may...

Resurrection or Cloning?

In the film “The Sixth Day”, based in the near future where cloning of pets is allowed but not of humans, the main character, Adam, played by Arnold Schwarzenegger, wakes up in a taxi, not knowing how he got there. He travels home only to see another man inside with his family; this man looks exactly like him. Before being able to confront the imposter, Adam is attacked by unknown assailants and has to run. This being an Arnie movie there are lots of shoot outs and the body count is high as Adam attempts to find out what is going on. It turns out that he has been cloned and the cloning company is trying to clear up the loose ends. Spoiler alert; it turns out he is the clone and the other Adam is the original. The story highlights some problems with the Watchtower’s ideas about ‘resurrection’. They teach that, at death, who we are ceases to exist; there is no soul or spirit that survives death, nothing of our essence continues on. ...

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