Jehovah witnesses, how in the world did you get this wrong?

Question

The one thing I love about the Bible is that God has it coded. He didn't code it to make it not understandable He coded it to prevent even the brightest minds from being able to distort the the truths that are most dear to Him. Here is just one. JW's say Jesus is not part of the God head. However, in Matthew4:9,10 Jesus told Satan that the only God is to be worshipped. fast forward, in Philippians2:9-11 the scriptures say EVERY knee in heaven and earth and every where else will bend and worship Jesus to the Glory of the Father. It's like God himself is saying, 'I told you he is God the Son, what part didn't you get'!

QUEENOF, I am not bashing them. This is a very important issue. And Jehovah's Witnesses count themselves as Christians. It's simply examining scriptures to glean the truth.

Nevrasleep, firstborn is NOT created. It simply describes God coming forth from God to create. And the fact that He is to be worshipped bears this out. Nice try though.

Zimmerfurger, I just asked a question. No one is going to pick up arms. This question is helpful to someone who needs this type of information.

Rowen77, I say this respectfully,the worship Jesus mentioned to Satan is the same worship in Phillipians. Satan wasn't interested in token worship for earthly kings. He was talking about the kind in Phillipians!

TRK, I agree, God lowered Jesus to be born a human but He restored Jesus to his former position but now with the stamp of approval that Jesus is Part of the Godhead, THAT'S why the Father has all creation including angels and Satan worship Jesus.

Loverofbible truth, I agree with you that God the father is the DIRECTOR of the Godhead and is a distinct spirit person as is Jesus and the Holy Spirit.

Achtung, listen to yourself my friend. Yes in Genesis Jesus appeared as Jehovah! That's because he IS Jehovah the (SON) again PART of the Godhead. How many ways does God have to show us this truth?

Answer 1

"Pardon me, but who gave you the authority to tell anyone else what they believe is wrong? Certainly NOT your Bible. "

Actuality it does.

"All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness"

Try again.

Answer 2

John 14:28 says the father is a higher being then the son.

1 Corinthians 11:3 says the father is a higher God then the son.

Thus no trinity.

You are correct. In Matthew 4:9,10 Jesus told Satan that the only God is to be worshiped. He did not say to worship him but rather...worship his father.

Jesus said:(John 4:23) “. . .Nevertheless, the hour is coming, and it is now, when the true worshipers will worship the Father

Philippians 2:9-11 V.9 Shows that "God exalted him to a superior position" so Jesus is not God himself or part of Godhead.

??Unless Trinitarians all of sudden start to believe Jesus was not a God head until he was exalted??

Answer 3

That does not prove the Trinity...verse nine says that "God exalted him to a superior position and kindly gave him the name that is about every other name..." God exalted Jesus, it does not say God exalted himself. "every knee should bend of those in heaven and those on earth and those under the ground and every tongue should openly acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord (to the glory of God the Father)." Everyone needs to acknowledge Jesus' roll as King and as our Messiah. It does not say that Jesus and the Father are one, but by our exalting Jesus, this also gives glory to Jehovah.

Other scriptures you may want to consider. Ps. 83:18; John 14: 28; John 10: 30 & John 17: 21 & 22; John 6:38; John 7:16; Col 1:15; 1 John 4:9; Acts 7:55 & 56; John 17:3; Matt 3: 16 & 17; Matt 24: 36-39

edit: Where does the bible ever say that Satan will ever worship Jesus? Jesus is going to destroy Satan. Those under the ground, would be those who have died, who have the hope of a resurrection by means of Jesus Christ ransom. They too would have a reason to exalt Jesus Christ. John 5:28 & 29 "Do not marvel at this, the hour is coming when all those in the memorial tombs will hear his voice and come out.."

As I said before, this does not prove the Trinity. The bible does not teach a three headed God. They are distinct individual spirit creatures. They are "one" as Jesus said he and his disciples were "one", in thought and in harmony.
See John 17: 21 & 22, Jesus explains what he meant when he said that "I and the Father are one" at John 10:30.

We will just have to agree to disagree.

Answer 4

Philippians 2:9,10 tends to disprove rather than prove trinitarianism. Please note that God exalts Christ Jesus, plainly showing the two persons to be distinct and of differing powers and positions.

(Philippians 2:9-10) God exalted him to a superior position and kindly gave him the name that is above every other name, so that in the name of Jesus every knee should bend of those in heaven and those on earth and those under the ground


Among creatures heavenly and earthly, the personal name "Jesus" is above every other. Philippians 2:9 clearly teaches that Jesus (the Son) is distinct from and subject to God the Father (the highest name of all, "Jehovah").

(Philippians 2:8,9) [Jesus] became obedient as far as death, yes, death on a torture stake. 9 For this very reason also God exalted him to a superior position and kindly gave him the name that is above every other name

So if the name is not a personal name, then what is that "name"? Isaiah 9:6 specifically notes that Jesus Christ's "name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace".

(Isaiah 9:6) For there has been a child born to us, there has been a son given to us; and the princely rule will come to be upon his shoulder. And his name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.


Incidentally, the bible does indicate a handful of times that an angel has been called by the name "Jehovah" to indicate that the angel is specifically functioning as Jehovah's direct representative. Jehovah's Witnesses believe it likely that each of these incidents involves Jesus Christ as that direct representative, although that is not a doctrinal matter which the bible clearly teaches. If that is a correct understanding, it seems likely that Jesus will continue to be used for such purposes in the future (perhaps in an ongoing basis, or exclusively).

(Genesis 18:22) At this point the [materialized angels appearing as] men turned from there and got on their way to Sodom; but as for [the angel using the name of] Jehovah, he was still standing before Abraham

Learn more:
http://watchtower.org/e/ti/index.htm?article=article_05.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/na/index.htm?article=diagram_04.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/20050915/article_01.htm

Answer 5

This refers to the great status that God accords Jesus. He is God's highest servant. It is why Jesus is greater then any other prophet, as Moses predicted.

Although he is not the one God Jehovah, he was the first of God's creations, he is the only begotten son. He preexisted in heaven-Micah tells us that Jesus' origins in heaven

The Bible tells us that creation of the world was through Jesus.

Jesus tells us of his special relationship to God. God gave Jesus wisdom, as Solomon stated. Every single thing Jesus did was for God, and was for the glory of God, his creator.

In Biblical times, prostration to kings was common. This was not necessarily worship. the word here for worship used is proskenou, which means deep respect, deferential courtesy, or homage.

Every person should have reverence for Jesus as God's chosen king.

Answer 6

I disagree. We did not get it wrong.
Jesus never claimed to be Almighty God. Jesus and his Father Jehovah are two different spirit persons, but are united in their thinking and are in full accord with each other. At GENESIS 2:24 consider what God says regarding a marriage--" Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh." Notice, it says one flesh---when a man takes a wife, does that mean that the husband is also the wife in the same body? No, of course not, but that is how people think of God and his Son. When the Bible says that God and Jesus are "one" it means they are separate, yet in agreement with each other.
Jesus said this in prayer to his Father in heaven at JOHN 17:11--
"And I am no more in the world, and these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep them in thy name which thou hast given me, that they may be one, even as we are."
Jesus was praying about his disciples, that they would be "one" just as he and God were "one"
Did the disciples actually become one person or were they one in unity?
No matter how you try to reason with Trinitarians, they cannot seem to grasp the truth about who the true God really is. They insist on worshipping a triad of Gods. Jesus is the mediator between us and Jehovah God (PSALM 83:18).
Jesus was exalted to be a Prince and Saviour as stated at ACTS 5:31--"Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins."
JOHN 5:30--"I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me." ( Almighty god can do anything, proving that Jesus is not God)
1 CORINTHIANS 15:24--" After that the end will come, when he will turn the Kingdom over to God the Father, having destroyed every ruler and authority and power." (Jesus, after his thousand year reign over the earth, will then give the rulershipship back to Jehovah, to whom it rightly belongs. All human ruled governments will have been destroyed)
ISAIAH 40:18--"To whom can you compare God? What image can you find to resemble him? (N.L.T)
Isaiah 40:25--" To whom then will ye liken me, that I should be equal to him? saith the Holy One." (Jehovah has no equal)
LUKE 1:32--" He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Most High: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David." (Jesus does not give himself the throne--Jehovah gives it to him)

LOBT

Answer 7

Typical of many cults that claim to be interpreting the bible correctly, they are actually far from that. I believe that the bible is clear, but it is amazing how simply taking a scripture out of context, or changing a word here and there, or taking something literal that was meant figuratively can completly change the entire meaning of the text. What ends up happening is we get a watered down man-made version of the bible that is tailor made to suit the interests of the group. Some cults will have a "new revelation" or create their own version of the bible (which of course is subject to change). As Christian we are taught that the bible of course is to be the same now and forever. A guidebook that IS the inspired God breathed word of God cannot and should not change.

You cited just one example of many key fundamental differences between JW's and Christianity. Your example basically says that they refute the Trinity of God. Their belief as I understand it is as follows:

That Jesus is Michael the Archangel and was God's first creation. He came as a man, died and rose as an invisible spirit. Here is the key difference: His death on the cross did NOT pay the debt for man's sin. Mans' role is to be a witness for the father god, not Christ.

I don't know how far astray you can go from the bible on that one. Christ "NOT dying for man's sins". That one perplexes me completely. Like you said, the bible wasn't coded to make it non-understandable.

Thanks for your thought provoking question.

JimmyD

Answer 8

Before you ask another question, ask yourself, "would God really like it if I question someone else's faith?". With our world turning the way it is, religion will be the one true thing that destroys us all. Think about it, let's say that we have to fight a foriegn invader of any kind, we will surely perish because we are not on the same page about the simplest things that in reality, really aren't that important to human suvival. We discriminate over color, we have killed for religious beliefs, we use nuclear reactors, drain our planet of all it's natural resources and you're worried about what one groups says? Is getting an answer going to help you sleep at night when tomorrow, nonreligious persons of all walks of life will kill, rape, maim and injure? Don't think that Jehovas Witnesses are making arabs put planes into our structures.And no the bible isn't coded. Jewish scholors needed to produce a timeline of their people during their stay in Babylon because of possible extinction.

Answer 9

COL 1:15 first born of all creation
hey genius...since God had no beginning why did Jesus?

Answer 10

Miles great question. I have wondered the same thing for years and never received a good answer from a JW.