| Make comments or ask a question. |
| How do I become a Christian? |
| Sign the Guest Book |
The Watch Tower Saints or Jehovah’s Witnesses find their
roots in a mixture of early church heresies. They deny the deity of Christ. This
religion teaches that Jesus did not rise bodily from the grave but was raised as
Michael the Archangel. This is similar to several sects of Gnostic beliefs. Some
Gnostics believe that Jesus existed as a spirit before the incarnation and he
was released from the body after his death. Of course there are many variations
to the Gnostic beliefs, but the ‘spirit being Jesus’ of the JW’s is
related to Gnosticism.
Like the Arians, JW’s believe that Jesus was a created being and is not equal with the Father. If you listen to their missionaries or read their literature, you find that they claim that the church was corrupted at the council of Nicaea and they have restored it. Historic Christianity tells a different story. Hundreds of years before this council, the church fathers (some of whom were taught directly by the apostles) said:
Ignatius
“Jesus is God, God incarnate.”
“...God Himself appearing in the form of a man, for the renewal of eternal
life.”
Iranaeus
"For with Him were always present the Word and Wisdom, the Son and the
Spirit, by whom and in whom, freely and spontaneously, He made all things, to
whom also He speaks, saying, 'Let us make man after our image and
likeness'".( Against Heresies, 4:10)
Theophilus
For the divine writing itself teaches us that Adam said that he had heard the
voice but what else is this voice but the word of God, who is also his Son.
Denying the deity of Christ is no small issue. The first of
the ten great commandments is, “You shall have no other gods before Me”.
What if you create another god and name it Jesus? What if you name it Jehovah?
If the Bible has revealed God as He is and we reshape Him into what we choose,
we have created a false God. God hasn’t changed; we have created a new god.
The New World Translation of the Bible (rewritten by JW scholars) has removed
most of the references to the deity of Christ. Their claim is that they are
undoing what the 3rd century church patched in. However, if the
church fathers who were discipled by the apostles themselves testify that Jesus
is God, that adds a valuable testimony to the validity of scripture’s claims
that Jesus is God.
Another group claiming to be restorers of the original
doctrine are the Oneness Pentecostals. Let me say from the beginning that not
all Pentecostals are believers in the Oneness doctrine. Like many
anti-Trinitarians, Oneness believers don’t necessarily know the roots of their
beliefs. The purpose of this series is to point to the historic Christianity
that was handed to us from Jesus and the apostles and allow people to make a
willful choice. The question ultimately is ‘what does the Bible teach’. The
next section will focus primarily on this perspective. However, I believe it is
necessary to lay the historic foundation of Christianity so that we can see
clearly what the apostles believed. Those closest to the source offer a powerful
testimony.
Oneness doctrine was made popular by Noetus, Praxeas, and Sabellius. David Bernard in the author of the book, ‘Oneness of God’ and is a prominent teacher of Modalism and Oneness doctrine. In his work, ‘The Oneness of God’, David Bernard references them as church fathers. He also teaches Arianism. On page 105, Bernard states, “There was a time when the Son did not exist; God prophesied about the Son’s future existence”. The key phrase in Arius’ teaching was, “There was a time when he (the Son) was not”. The historic Christian church’s belief was quite different:
“There was then, a Word
importing an unbeginning eternity; as also the Word itself, that is, the Son of
God, who being, by equality of substance, one with the Father, is eternal and
uncreated.” Clement Of Alexandria in 190 AD.
‘The Oneness of God’ also states, “the Sonship had a beginning and will have an ending” (page 122). Compare this to the Bible. Luke 1 says,
31 "And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring
forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS.
32 "He will be great, and will be called the Son of the
Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David.
33 "And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever,
and of His kingdom there will be no end."
The Bible says that the throne of Jesus will never end nor
will His kingdom. Yet Bernard states in ‘Is Jesus in the Godhead’, “When
the millennium is complete, the Sonship ministry will be finished.” The Bible
says that Jesus is eternal, yet this doctrine claims that Jesus’ ministry will
end after the millennium reign of Christ and then the Son will cease to exist.
Not all who hold to the Oneness doctrine believe that Jesus will cease to exist.
Some teach that Jesus is the body of the Father and will remain forever.
One fundamental flaw in this doctrine is that the Bible clearly states that God does not change. Sabellius and Praxeas taught that the Son was the Father in a different mode. Then He would become the Holy Spirit. None of these co-exist, but are different modes of the same person and the same God. The Bible says, “For I am the LORD, I do not change” (Malachi 3:6). If God does not change, how can He become the Son? How can He transform into different modes? Consider these two passages:
Psalm 102
24 I said, "O my God, Do not take me away in the midst of my days; Your
years are throughout all generations.
25 Of old You laid the foundation of the earth, And the
heavens are the work of Your hands.
26 They will perish, but You will endure; Yes, they will all
grow old like a garment; Like a cloak You will change them, And they will be
changed.
27 But You are the same, And Your years will have no end.
28 The children of Your servants will continue, And their
descendants will be established before You."
This Old Testament passage clearly refers to God. Yet this passage is attributed to Jesus Christ in the New Testament:
Hebrews 1:
8 But to the Son He says: "Your throne, O God, is forever
and ever; A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your Kingdom.
9 You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness;
Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You With the oil of gladness more than
Your companions."
10 And: "You, LORD, in the beginning laid the foundation
of the earth, And the heavens are the work of Your hands.
11 They will perish, but You remain; And they will all grow
old like a garment;
12 Like a cloak You will fold them up, And they will be
changed. But You are the same, And Your years will not fail."
Oneness doctrine claims that Jesus’ reign will end when the Millennium reign ends, yet the Bible clearly states that Jesus’ throne will remain forever. The earth and heavens will grow old like a garment, but You are the same? This does not fit the Oneness belief of Jesus.
Eddie Snipes
Exchanged Life Outreach
http://www.exchangedlife.com
Back to: Trinity Study
Go to Home Page | Sermons | Feedback | Creation | Humor
