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Sunday, November 29, 2009

Can't We All Just Get Along?


In a word, no.

I was visited at my home by some Jehovah's Witnesses this weekend. Their approach is pretty salesman-like. "Hi. We are passing out information that answers some of life's difficult questions. Why is there suffering in the world? Why do bad things happen to 'good' people? Have you ever thought about these questions?"

I used to be in sales. One of the "tricks" is to ask questions that you know people will say "yes" to. Do you like saving money? Do you want to cut your business expenses while increasing your productivity? You get them comfortable saying yes with the hope that they will still be saying yes when you go in for the commitment.

So, who hasn't thought about the questions of suffering in the world? However, I am not ready to let them run away with the conversation. I say, "I am sure your answers are interesting and I might even agree with some of them. The disagreement that you and I will have is on the person of Jesus Christ. John 1:1 says 'In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.'"

However, the New World Translation that the JW's use translates the last phrase "...and the Word was a God." They insert an English indefinite article where no article exists. They use an obscure translation method, that treads upon normal translation rules. No article exists because in the Greek construction the definite article (translated "the") is implied. So a literal translation could read ..."and the Word was the God."

What's the difference you may ask? Their doctrine states that Jesus is not God-- Yahweh, but rather a god (little "g"). They do not believe in the Trinity--triune God. Beyond the subverting of the clear teachings of the Bible, the implications are huge. The Bible says in Romans 3:23, "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." If Jesus is not God, then he is mere man. If he is a man, his death on the Cross was merely a sinner dying for his own sins. If that is the case, then there is no payment for my sins, and I am most miserable above all creatures.

So I shared these things with my dear friends, the JW's. This brings out the truth that they do not really believe in the sufficiency of the substitutionary death of Jesus to pay for our sins. They believe in a works-based hybrid religion that (surprise, surprise) requires them to be out spreading their doctrine for the salvation of their own souls. So, try Ephesians 2:8-9, "For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, Not by works, so that no one can boast." Blank stares. Blink, blink.

"Well, you know, Jesus never claimed to be God." Oh no you didn't. Really? Try John 8:58, "Jesus said to them (the Pharisees), 'Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am.'" What else could Jesus have meant than He is God? We especially see that the Pharisees understood that He was claiming to be God, because they tried to carry out the Levitical prescription of punishment for blasphemers (what they thought Jesus was). Verse 59 says, "Therefore they picked up stones to throw at Him..."

Further, I said, "You are familiar with The Ten Commandments in Exodus 20, yes? What is the 1st commandment? Exodus 20:3 'You shall have no other Gods besides me.' Throughout the prophets of the Old Testament, especially Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel we see God severely judging the nation of Israel for the sin of idolatry, on Earth. Imagine if someone dared to worship someone other than God in the throne room of Heaven. Wouldn't God be furious at the defilement of His sinless presence? If Jesus is not God, then why would God allow the worship of Him in the Heavenly throne room?"

Revelation 5:11-14

Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne and the living creatures and the elders; and the number of them was myriads of myriads, and thousands of thousands,

saying with a loud voice, "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing."

And every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying, "To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever."

And the four living creatures kept saying, "Amen " And the elders fell down and worshiped.

So we have the Father (the One on the throne), and the Lamb (beside the throne) being worshiped simultaneously, in Heaven. Their response, "We can agree to disagree." I agree that we disagree. I warned them that taking away the deity of Jesus Christ takes away their only hope of salvation. I pray for their souls and the many who are blinded by the enemy.

2 comments:

Sarah said...

I knew you wouldn't back down :) GO GET 'EM HONEY! You're awesome :)

Rob Peck said...

Thanks for this brother! I was just talking to one of my friends about this very topic. I can't wait to share this with him!
Thanks!

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