Jehovah's Witnesses why do you believe "Christ was the first of God's creations."?

Question

When John 1:1-4 says :
the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
He was in the beginning with God.
All things came to be through him, and without him nothing came to be. What came to be
through him was life, and this life was the light of the human race;

Answer 1

Jehovah's Witnesses believe that Jesus is actually Michael the Archangel. How and where they get this from I do not know but that’s what they believe. They say that Michael was born as a human, named Jesus, lived a perfect, sinless life and died for our sins. He was not divine in any way. After His resurrection (which was only of the spirit and not of the body AND spirit), He simply returned to heaven as Michael the Archangel.

Several problems with this: If Jesus is an angel, then is means He is a created being, like us, and not God the Son, Second Person of the Holy Trinity. That being the case, several instances in the bible instantly become wrong. First, Jesus is our judge and forgave sin. However, Christians understand and know that ONLY God can judge and forgive sin. So then, if He is nothing more than a spirit creature (angel), how could he be our judge and forgive sin?

Second, in the bible, there are several scriptures showing that Jesus was worshiped. This happened when He was on earth and happens now in heaven. If He is a created being, like us, then no one on earth or in heaven could worship Him or they would commit idolatry. Remember the second commandment, thou shalt have no other gods before Me?

Thirdly, and this is somewhat of a minor point, the Witnesses have Jesus as an archangel, and believe that this is the highest form of angel. They have it backwards. There are actually 9 classes of angel, and the archangel is one of the lower ranks, despite what the JW’s think.

1. Seraphim
2. Cherubim
3. Thrones
4. Dominations
5. Virtues
6. Powers
7. Principalities
8. Archangels
9. Angels

As you can see, the archangel is second to last.

Anyway, hope my comments help. God bless and take care.

Answer 2

This has been stated sooo many times, yet lets us do it again.

RS reads: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.” (KJ, Dy, JB, NAB use similar wording.) However, NW reads: “In the beginning the Word was, and the Word was with God, and the Word was a god. This one was in the beginning with God.”

Which translation of John 1:1, 2 agrees with the context? John 1:18 says: “No one has ever seen God.” Verse 14 clearly says that “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us . . . we have beheld his glory.” Also, verses 1, 2 say that in the beginning he was “with God.” Can one be with someone and at the same time be that person? At John 17:3, Jesus addresses the Father as “the only true God”; so, Jesus as “a god” merely reflects his Father’s divine qualities.—Heb. 1:3.

Is the rendering “a god” consistent with the rules of Greek grammar? Some reference books argue strongly that the Greek text must be translated, “The Word was God.” But not all agree. In his article “Qualitative Anarthrous Predicate Nouns: Mark 15:39 and John 1:1,” Philip B. Harner said that such clauses as the one in John 1:1, “with an anarthrous predicate preceding the verb, are primarily qualitative in meaning. They indicate that the logos has the nature of theos.” He suggests: “Perhaps the clause could be translated, ‘the Word had the same nature as God.’” (Journal of Biblical Literature, 1973, pp. 85, 87) Thus, in this text, the fact that the word the·os´ in its second occurrence is without the definite article (ho) and is placed before the verb in the sentence in Greek is significant. Interestingly, translators that insist on rendering John 1:1, “The Word was God,” do not hesitate to use the indefinite article (a, an) in their rendering of other passages where a singular anarthrous predicate noun occurs before the verb. Thus at John 6:70, JB and KJ both refer to Judas Iscariot as “a devil,” and at John 9:17 they describe Jesus as “a prophet.”

John J. McKenzie, S.J., in his Dictionary of the Bible, says: “Jn 1:1 should rigorously be translated ‘the word was with the God [= the Father], and the word was a divine being.’”—(Brackets are his. Published with nihil obstat and imprimatur.) (New York, 1965), p. 317.

In harmony with the above, AT reads: “the Word was divine”; Mo, “the Logos was divine”; NTIV, “the word was a god.” In his German translation Ludwig Thimme expresses it in this way: “God of a sort the Word was.” Referring to the Word (who became Jesus Christ) as “a god” is consistent with the use of that term in the rest of the Scriptures. For example, at Psalm 82:1-6 human judges in Israel were referred to as “gods” (Hebrew, ’elo·him´; Greek, the·oi´, at John 10:34) because they were representatives of Jehovah and were to speak his law.

Therefore, John 1:1 In [the] beginning the Word was, and the Word was with God, and the Word was a god.

Answer 3

i recognize what you assert yet right this is the place the confusion is offered in. Jesus is a god, he's a divine one and since the Trinity human beings % to show out in John a million:a million, he's with God. Now, the daddy, is Jehovah. He on my own is Almighty God. because it incredibly is defined, Jesus the son is interior the "bosom place" of the daddy. he's "First Born" going back eons of time. each and everything else got here into life by this order. anybody is rather at a loss for words because of the church homes taking Jehovah's call out of the bible close to to 7,000 situations. fairly they positioned the notice God or Lord. So, of course, human beings think of that Jesus Christ is the almighty. that's between the main "crafty acts" that devil does to deceive. he's deceptive the completed earth. Re 12:9 (for this reason the international is in chaos)

Answer 4

While I am not a Jehovah's Witness, I too believe Jesus was the first of God's creations, as the bible states in 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;..." Jesus calls himself the beginning of the creation of God, and I think he was there and should know.

Answer 5

--WHO THEN IS THIS as the "master worker" other than Michael(Christ)


(Proverbs 8:22-31) “. . .“Jehovah himself produced me as the beginning of his way, the earliest of his achievements of long ago. 23 From time indefinite I was installed, from the start, from times earlier than the earth. 24 When there were no watery deeps I was brought forth as with labor pains, when there were no springs heavily charged with water. 25 Before the mountains themselves had been settled down, ahead of the hills, I was brought forth as with labor pains, 26 when as yet he had not made the earth and the open spaces and the first part of the dust masses of the productive land. 27 When he prepared the heavens I was there; when he decreed a circle upon the face of the watery deep, 28 when he made firm the cloud masses above, when he caused the fountains of the watery deep to be strong, 29 when he set for the sea his decree that the waters themselves should not pass beyond his order, when he decreed the foundations of the earth, 30 then I came to be beside him as a master worker, and I came to be the one he was specially fond of day by day, I being glad before him all the time, 31 being glad at the productive land of his earth, and the things I was fond of were with the sons of men.”

--If someone is with someone, there are at least 2 persons, there are other translations that express John 1:1-4 very differently than being a trinity:
*** rs p. 417 pars. 1-2 Trinity ***

John J. McKenzie, S.J., in his Dictionary of the Bible, says: “Jn 1:1 should rigorously be translated ‘the word was with the God [= the Father], and the word was a divine being.’”—(Brackets are his. Published with nihil obstat and imprimatur.) (New York, 1965), p. 317.
--In harmony with the above, AT reads: “the Word was divine”; Mo, “the Logos was divine”; NTIV, “the word was a god.” In his German translation Ludwig Thimme expresses it in this way: “God of a sort the Word was.” Referring to the Word (who became Jesus Christ) as “a god” is consistent with the use of that term in the rest of the Scriptures. For example, at Psalm 82:1-6 human judges in Israel were referred to as “gods” (Hebrew, ’elo·him′; Greek, the·oi′, at John 10:34) because they were representatives of Jehovah and were to speak his law."

Answer 6

Speaking of Jesus, KJV version:

Col 1:15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:

Again, speaking of Jesus, KJV:

Rev 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;

Answer 7

Okay, to answer your question you must read a little farther. John 1:14 says the word became flesh. So yes the word was with God in the beginning but this SAME word later became flesh...Jesus.

Answer 8

Because Jehovah's Witnesses are a cult and twist and warp the Word of God into an unrecognizable perversion of what God said. For further information, check here: http://www.christiananswers.net/evangelism/beliefs/cults.html

In His Service,
John the Baptist

Answer 9

Who cames first, the father or the son?

Answer 10

The bible plainly teaches that God the Father used Jesus the Son as the creating agent to create all the heavens, all the physical universe, and all the creatures who live in both (angels, humans, and the lower creatures). The ultimate creative powers originates from God the Father, and that power is actually exercised under the Father's direction by (or "through") the "master worker" Jesus Christ (See Proverbs 8:22,27-30 "I came to be beside [God] as a master worker [or "one brought up with him", KJV]").

(Colossians 1:12-16) Thanking the Father... He delivered us from the authority of the darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son...15 He [the Son] is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; 16 because by means of him all other things were created in the heavens and upon the earth, the things visible and the things invisible, no matter whether they are thrones or lordships or governments or authorities. All other things have been created through him and for him.
(Colossians 1:12-16, KJV) Giving thanks unto the Father... Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son... 15 [The Son] Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature 16 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

(John 1:3) All things came into existence through [Jesus the Word], and apart from him not even one thing came into existence.
(John 1:3, KJV) All things were made by [Jesus the Word]; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

(John 1:10,14) The world came into existence through him, but the world did not know him. ...So [Jesus] the Word became flesh and resided among us, and we had a view of his glory, a glory such as belongs to an only-begotten son from a father
(John 1:10,14, KJV) The world was made by him, and the world knew him not. ...And [Jesus] the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,)

(Hebrews 1:1-4) God... has at the end of these days spoken to us by means of a Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the systems of things. [Jesus] sustains all things by the word of his power; and after he had made a purification for our sins he sat down on the right hand of the Majesty in lofty places. So he has become better than the angels
(Hebrews 1:1-4, KJV) God... Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; [Jesus] upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; Being made so much better than the angels

(Revelation 3:14) [Jesus] the Amen says, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation by God...
(Revelation 3:14, KJV) Saith [Jesus] the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God...

(Genesis 1:26) God went on to say: “Let us ["the Father" and "the Son"] make man in our image, according to our likeness
(Genesis 1:26, KJV) And God said, Let us ["the Father" and "the Son"] make man in our image, after our likeness

(1 Corinthians 8:6) There is actually to us one God the Father, out of whom all things are, and we for him; and there is one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things are
(1 Corinthians 8:6, KJV) To us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.

(Micah 5:2) And you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, the one too little to get to be among the thousands of Judah, from you there will come out to me [Jehovah] the one who is to become ruler in Israel, whose [Jesus'] origin is from early times [rather than without beginning]
(Micah 5:2, KJV) But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he [Jesus] come forth unto me [Jehovah] that is to be ruler in Israel; whose [Jesus'] goings forth have been from of old [rather than without beginning]

Thanks for the opportunity to discuss the distinctness and relationship of Jesus and Jehovah!

Learn more:
http://watchtower.org/e/ti/index.htm?article=article_05.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/20050422/
http://watchtower.org/e/20020515/
http://watchtower.org/e/rq/index.htm?article=article_03.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/lmn/index.htm?article=article_04.htm