Jehovahs Witnesses and other groups come from the heresy called Arianism. Is is named after Arius, a 4th Century teacher who taught that Jesus was Gods first act of creation. They neglect and pervert verses like this one. [John 1:1] In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. Their New World Translation changes ...the Word was God to ...the Word was a god. They do so arbitrarily. Their human false reasoning tells them that the Word cant be with God and at the same time BE GOD. Therefore they insert A into the verse and make GOD into A god. Ill tackle two verses they use to falsely teach that Jesus was created. • [Revelation 3:14] And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; That phrase The beginning of the Creation of God. They claim that the verse teaches that Christ is indeed a creation. But is the verse really saying that? Without even getting into the Greek, one can see that the verse is not necessarily teaching that Jesus is a creation. Rather that he BEGAN creation. Just like we can say that Bill Gates is the beginning of the Microsoft. Bill Gates started the company. He began it, Hes the BEGINNING of it, much in the same way that Christ is the BEGINNING of Gods creation. The word BEGINNING comes from the Greek Word ARCHE. It other parts of scripture, the word is rendered Corner, First, Magistrate, Power, Principality, Principle, or Rule. So we can see it not only gives a sense of sequence, but rank and prestige. Jesus is in charge of all creation, since he began all creation. If youre still not convinced, lets read what comes after John 1:1. [John 1:2-3a] The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him... Speaking of the Word, Jesus Christ, the text tells us that ALL things were made by HIM. Now lets stop right there. Two points I want to make. The Jehovahs Witnesses like to make a big fuss out of the word by, and insist that through gives more clarity to the meaning. And Im more than happy to oblige. Well see that it still contradicts their doctrine. So lets go with All things were made THROUGH Him. If ALL things were made THROUGH Jesus, then pure logic would dictate that HE himself couldnt have been made. Now the JWs will dodge that bullet and say that the real meaning is that All things were made through Him, with the exception of Jesus of course. Notice how sloppy they are with the text. They dont seem to want to believe that God chooses his words perfectly. But just in case theres any doubt, lets read verse 3 in its entirety. [John 1:3] All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. Without Jesus was not ANYTHING made that was Made. Not ONE thing was created without Jesus being present and involved. So how can Jesus have been created? He wasnt created. The text cant get any clearer, yet JWs still insist that Jesus was created and that the passage is speaking of everything EXCEPT Jesus, when the text clearly says that NOTHING was created without Jesus. And just in case someone still had doubt, lets look in the Old Testament. [Isaiah 44:24] Thus saith the Lord, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am the LORD that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself; Here the LORD God says that he stretches forth the heavens ALONE and spreads abroad the earth BY HIMSELF. God is declaring in no uncertain terms that the creation process was an act of Him ALONE. So if Jesus was in any way involved in creation, and God created ALONE, then we can conclude that JESUS is indeed God. • [Colossians 1:15] Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: Thats another verse the JWs use. They take firstborn of every creature to mean that he was the first one to be created. First of all, right off the bat, FIRSTBORN does not mean FIRST CREATED. FIRSTBORN speaks of Christs preexistence. The word FIRSTBORN (Greek Prototokos) signifies priority, not necessarily the oldest child. The FIRSTBORN possessed the inheritance and leadership. Its expressing Christs sovereignty over all creation. Exactly the point made in Revelation 3:14 that I cited first. The one the JWs use to try to show that Christ was created. If we want a clearer understanding of what is meant by Firstborn of every creature, lets look at the entire context that the verse is in. [Colossians 1:15-17] Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. First Christ is referred to as the Image of the Invisible God. God as he is cannot be seen by human eyes. By putting on flesh, Jesus became the Image of the Invisible God. After then calling him Firstborn of every creature, it goes on to explain why hes given that title. For by Him were ALL things created. Notice it says ALL things, not ALL things except for himself. What kind of things did he create? — Visible and Invisible — Thrones and Principalities — Dominion and Powers It goes on to say that ALL THINGS are not only created BY (or THROUGH as JWs insist) Him, but they are created FOR Him. It goes on the to say that He is before ALL things and by HIM do ALL things consist. JWs teach that Jesus Christ is a created angel. The Scriptures that I presented make it abundantly clear that hes so much more than that. In fact, reducing him to a created angel is blasphemy of the highest order. But just in case you STILL doubt, look what it says here in reference to Jesus. [Hebrews 1:4-6] Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. For unto which of the angels said he (The Father) at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son? And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him. Why would ALL the angels of God worship the Son if he was just a mere angel like them? Logically, how could all the angels of God worship Jesus if he too was an angel. Again, in the Bible, ALL means ALL.
Posted on: Sun, 02 Nov 2014 16:26:15 +0000
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