Bridge of Reason

  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 w...

  Jehovah's Witnesses insist Jesus is a created being, the first to be created, the one who created 'all other things.' Of the opening verses of John's gospel they write : 'The “beginning” referred to in this verse cannot mean “the beginning” of God, because God had no beginning. Jehovah God is “from everlasting to everlasting.” (Psalm 90:1, 2) However, the Word, Jesus Christ, did have a beginning. He is “the beginning of the creation by God.”—Revelation 3:14.' What is 'the beginning' referring to in John 1:1? Did Jesus Christ have a beginning? Is the NWT accurate and reliable when it translates Revelation 3:14, 'the beginning of the creation by God'? In the beginning was [ εἰμ ί ( eimi) , Gk. ‘to be’] the Word – Genesis is in mind here, Jehovah’s Witnesses say as much when they teach God made Jesus and Jesus made ‘all other things,’ as Colossians 2 doesn’t say, but does in their NWT. Note, Jesus ‘was’ in the beginning; he didn’t begin to be....

  The Watch Tower Society insists the title 'Word' means Jesus is 'God's spokesperson': “ The beginning” refers to the time when God began his creative work and produced the Word. Thereafter, the Word was used by God in the creation of all other things. (John 1:2, 3) The Bible states that Jesus is “the firstborn of all creation” and that “by means of him all other things were created.”—Colossians 1:15, 16. "The phrase “the Word was a god” describes the divine or godlike nature that Jesus possessed before he came to earth. He can be described in this way because of his role as God’s Spokesman and his unique position as the firstborn Son of God through whom God created all other things." This effectively makes him no more than a great prophet, much as in Islam. As a created being, albeit the first to be created, the only difference between him and other prophets is one of precedence. Does the Bible say Jesus was created? Is Jesus just another spokesperson ...

  The Watch Tower Society has tried to remove all references to Christ’s deity in their New World Translation of the Bible. They relegate Jesus to a place that is inferior, insisting he shouldn’t be worshipped because, they insist, he is not God. Who Were the Jews Looking For? The Jews were looking for a Messiah who is described in the Jewish Scripture as Mighty God, Isaiah 9:6. The Jehovah’s Witnesses argue that here Jesus is called ‘Mighty’ but only Jehovah is called ‘Almighty,’ concluding Jehovah alone is God. However, many Bible texts call Jehovah simply ‘Mighty.’ All the following call Jehovah Mighty: Deuteronomy 10:17; Nehemiah 9:32; Psalm 50:1; Isaiah 10:21; Jeremiah 32:18. Jeremiah 23: 5,6 sees Jesus given the name Jehovah-tsidkenu , meaning, ‘The God of my righteousness.’ The Lord the Jews were seeking was none other than God himself, Jehovah our righteousness. At his birth Jesus was proclaimed, ‘Christ the Lord’ Luke 2:11 and named I mmanuel , meaning, ‘God with us...

  Last week I asked, ‘Is Worshipping Jesus Wrong?’ We discovered the Watch Tower Society is inconsistent in its understanding of ‘worship’ as well as in its historical teaching and practice. In asking ‘Is Jesus God?’ we are looking at the magnificent description of Jesus in Paul’s letter to Colossae, a magnificence that is totally missed by Unitarian believers like Jehovah’s Witnesses. The Heresy Paul’s purpose in writing is to refute a heresy that has arisen among Colossian believers. The saints at Colossae appear to have come under the influence of a hybrid, Jewish/Pagan, philosophical system marked by: Ceremonialism : concerning food, drink, certain religious festivals and circumcision (2:16-17,23) Asceticism : ‘Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!’ (2:21) Angel worship (2:18) Secret knowledge (2:18) Human wisdom and tradition (2:4,8) The deprecation of Christ (2:8) Paul writes: ‘ See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according...

  In the Reasoning book, p.410 Jehovah's Witnesses cite several texts they say ‘proves’ Jesus is not God: 'The Father is greater than I' John 14:28 'The head of Christ is God' 1 Cor.11:3 '...then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things under him, that God may be everything to every one.' 1 Cor.15:27,28 Is Jesus, after all, not God but a creature? Is the Father alone God, and Jesus a created heavenly being sent to carry out God's will? The Father is Greater - John 14:28 As we consider Jesus’ words in John 14:28 we must take into account, in the same chapter, the gospels clear witness to the full deity of Jesus and his equality with the Father: ‘ Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.’ (v9) ‘ Believe me that I am n the Father and the Father is in me.’ (v11) And earlier: 'I and the Father are One' - (10:30) All three members of the Trinity are fully God, equal in substance, separate in person. In th...