At least three things are certain in life – death, taxes, and new Christian heresies. Seems some cannot endure the truth of scripture so they simply have to make up their own truth by twisting the scriptures and taking passages out of context. This article is a rebuttal of the growing Hebrew Roots movement and all the cults teaching the doctrine of soul sleep. If people would just study their Bible instead of following heretical teachers and their books they would not be sucked into every new damnable heresy. By the way, replacement theology is another of many heresies within this movement. Those in the Hebrew Roots movement are not Jews if they are not physically descended from Jacob. But like the Bible says,
2Tim 4:2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
Eph 4:14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
Newfound “Jews” in the Hebrew Roots Embracing Soul Sleep
There is a growing movement making inroads amongst Protestant churches and Christian homes called the “Hebrew Roots”. Akin to the Seventh Day Adventists and the Jehovah’s Witnesses, it teaches in fringe studies a salvation based on keeping the Torah where one sleeps through an afterlife until bodies are physically resurrected. The Hebrew Roots movement appeals to Christians who are drawn to studying Israel and the Jews, so much that they are swayed to believe they are Jewish! Taking Scriptures out of context, the movement bases itself an array of unique interpretations for Scripture, making for a new “Jew”, one that was formerly known as “Christian.
I’m glad to see some have finally taken the time to address this and I fully agree on the issue of what happens to us after death. These Judaizer trends must stop. What message are these people sending to the actual Jewish people? That they are right after all? That God’s grace and Christ’s sacrifice on the cross are not enough? That secular Jews (which are the majority of Israelis) need to become more like the Ultra Orthodox instead of simply repenting and accepting Christ?
I find it so ridiculous that some Christians stick by writing God as “G-d” all the time and think it necessary to write Yeshu’a instead of Jesus Christ and use Hebrew words everywhere. It’s not necessarily wrong, but why on earth do that? To make you look and feel more pious? That is not surprisingly also what much of modern-day Judaism (not to mention Islam) is about and even in Jesus’ time a lot of Jews were concerned more with outward display of “zeal” than inner change of heart through faith in God. Frankly I do understand that people want to learn about Israel and the Jews, learn Hebrew… Well, I’m basically one of them myself. But in many cases it seems to me like they are driven more by a desire to be like the Orthodox Jews or have an unhealthy obsession with Israel than a desire to be more Christ-like. I know it’s politically or religiously incorrect to say but in my opinion it is just another manifestation of idolatry.
I suggest these people read up on the reformers and puritans and the early Church fathers for inspiration instead of the Talmud and heretical writings of Haredi Jews. The Oral Law must have been correct and reliable since [St.] Paul was a Pharisee (unlike the Saducees who denied the ressurection of the soul and only kept the Written Law = Torah like the Karaites today) and Jesus kept it. But it surely can no longer be considered inspired by the Spirit since the Talmudic traditions have been continued by people that don’t accept Christ and thus their writing and thinking cannot be reliable and considered to be divinely inspired anymore. The Torah itself is undoubtedly good and full of wisdom. It ought to be read and studied along with Hebrew and Greek like all biblical scholars have done. BUT: always in proper context.
What evil spirit has bedeviled these Hebrew Roots movements? I bet the same that Paul wrote about in his epistle to the judaizing Galatians on the role of the Law. Doesn’t that epistle speak for itself? We are not under the Law, we are under Christ, under Grace. We can surely learn from the Torah but we are not called to keep it. If you want to keep it, you must keep ALL of it and that means you are under its curse and cannot be saved by Christ. You are a slave to the Law of sin and death while Christ offers us freedom from sin and gives us the Spirit of life. [St] Peter kept the Law including the dietary laws and he was given a vision which declared these not to be applicable anymore… I mean could it get any more explicit, people?
The Torah won’t sanctify our lives like some claim and it most certainly will not make us “earn” or “merit” God’s grace to eternal life and salvation of sin. Faith is a gift of God and we do not earn our salvation by our works. I tend to believe true believers were unconditionally elected by God’s sovereign will to salvation. But no matter whether you agree with the latter or not, I’m sure we can all agree that a Christian’s ongoing sanctification or working “out” (not “for”) our salvation is by living through the Holy Spirit. Even the Torah states we ought to have the Law written in our hearts! That’s exactly what the Holy Spirit that each Christian is sealed with upon salvation does. So these Judaizers contradict “their” own teachings.
God bless.
If you notice all these cults have a few things in common:
They like to believe that they have the truth and all of Christianity today has become corrupted and apostate.
They want legalistic burdens put on them so they can feel pious and feel that by their own works and obedience they are earning their way to salvation.
They try to follow the letter of the law but they do not understand the spirit of the law.
They segregate themselves from others and cannot be corrected by anyone outside their cult.
They do things in public to appear religious to the world.
They all have replacement theology in one way or another.
They demote Jesus to less than God
I also see most of these things in some major Christian denominations. So what do all these people really have in common? Religion! But, religion never saved anyone.
I think there’s only one true religion and it’s the religion of Jesus Christ the Redeemer. The problem is that due to the establishing of Christianity as Rome’s official religion, many were lead to see the visible church as THE Church, i.e. body of all true believers. The Roman Catholics and Orthodox denominations came up with the doctrine of Apostolic Succession to justify the existence of archbishops and affirm the authority of bishops over supposedly “lower” ranking clergy (priests, deacons) and their congregations, and to claim they ARE the Church and they alone represent it and can administer the sacraments. They also elevated church tradition to the status of being equal to Scripture to legitimize their teachings as if the “Holy Tradition” were the new Talmud or Oral Law of the Jews… and in doing so they corrupted Christianity.
Many reacted to the abuses and false doctrine of the established church and were burned as a consequence. People like Calvin and John Knox pointed out that all presbyters are equal and are to serve the church rather than have authority over it. In addition, there is only one Mediator between man and God, Jesus. So there is no such thing as Apostolic Succession or intercession of the saints or Mary or papal supremacy.
Unfortunately, for some people these and other reformers went not far enough and they had to throw out the baby with the bathwater in an effort to try “reconstructing” the Christian faith to fit its Hebrew roots while even in early Christianity many believers were gentiles and not Jewish at all and were unfamiliar with Jewish Law and customs. It does make perfect sense to study the origins and foundations and the doctrines of the Christian faith, which is basically “Hebrew” in origin and doesn’t contradict the Law, but there is no need to reconstruct it because there’s nothing to be reconstructed. Moreover, it’s simply wrong and despicable to re-impose the Law upon those that have been set free by Christ! I would tend to think it’s also not very honoring to God in view of what He did ?
I’m also aware there are people who say we must continue to celebrate the Jewish feasts. I’m not expert on this. It’s probably not wrong to do so but nowhere I see a command in the Bible to do this. I thought we had freedom in Christ over such issues? So again, it’s probably not wrong and may be good if it’s done in proper understanding and context and with the right motivation, but I’m afraid many do so just to judaize their faith or as a way to *experience* their faith in a way that feels more authentic or makes them feel more pious. I don’t particularly see why I am to celebrate Pesach as a “gentile” to commemorate God getting Israel out of Egypt, and how I am supposed to do so without having to subject myself to legalistic rules that are not relevant to the Christian faith. Again, perhaps not wrong, but obligatory? No, I think not. Just my thoughts…
I think these Hebrew roots movement and Judaizing tendencies are a result of an improper understanding of Church history and tradition and perhaps also a consequence of some far-fetched dispensationalism? (note that I don’t intend to condemn all dispensationalism here and that’s a whole different discussion in itself) Because many wrongly uphold all tradition as godly and equal to Scripture, some evangelical movements now have to declare ALL tradition and historic Chrisianity wrong and irrelevant, and pretend they don’t need Church history and can do without knowing anything about Church fathers or other great writings, or established basic doctrine (e.g. Nicean creed). Yeah, sure. No wonder there are so many immature Christians. I think all this is just as wrong as the theologically liberal and emergent trends.
God bless.
Paul made it quite clear to Christians that we are under the law of faith.
Ro 3:20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;
22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:
23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;
26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.
27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.
28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.
29 Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also:
30 Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith.
31 Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.
1 ¶ What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found?
2 For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God.
3 For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.
4 Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.
5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
6 Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works,
7 Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.
8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.
9 ¶ Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness.
10 How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.
11 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also:
12 And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised.
13 For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.
14 For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect:
15 Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression.
16 Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,
17 ¶ (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.
18 Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be.
19 And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara’s womb:
20 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;
21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.
22 And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.
23 ¶ Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him;
24 But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead;
25 Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.
1 ¶ Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
The law is eternal but no man was ever saved by keeping the law. The law was given to show us our need for God’s Savior. Faith in God came before the law and is fulfilled in Jesus Christ.
The eternal law will be lived in the Millennium by those who live in the human flesh during this period but they will obey the Law because the Law of God will be written in their hearts. However, for the called out Church under grace the law is always fulfilled by faith in Jesus Christ. As far as the Father is concerned by the law of faith we are in the Body of Christ and His Son did keep the Law. So all believers are under the law of faith.
That basically sums it all up. 🙂 The Scriptures speak for themselves, unfortunately no one wants to hear.
You can sum up all that has been written here about this “new movement”….”Pharisees”.
Luke 5:24(the first sentence) But that ye may know that the Son of man hath authority on earth to forgive sins………
I like Acts 15
Act 15:5 But some of the sect of the Pharisees who believed rose up, saying, “It is necessary to circumcise them, and to command [them] to keep the law of Moses.”
Act 15:6 Now the apostles and elders came together to consider this matter.
Act 15:7 And when there had been much dispute, Peter rose up and said to them: “Men and brethren, you know that a good while ago God chose among us, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe.
Act 15:8 So God, who knows the heart, acknowledged them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as [He did] to us,
Act 15:9 and made no distinction between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.
Act 15:10 Now therefore, why do you test God by putting a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?
Act 15:11 But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ [fn] we shall be saved in the same manner as they.”
And…
Act 15:28 For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things:
Act 15:29 that you abstain from things offered to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from sexual immorality. [fn] If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell.
People need to get their noses in the Word and test everything like a Berean.
Just my two cents
Kevin
You’ve got it right in tagging the Hebrew Roots Movement as an aberrant, error-laden, and an apostasy.
God brought this movement to my attention by having it cross my path on two personal fronts, and I’ve been doing research, as time allows, for over a year now. I have a number of posts dealing with HRM doctrine, origins of beliefs, and concepts as measured by Scripture. It is a fascinating study (one reason so many are lured into the movement)!
Grace and peace,
JGIG
http://www.joyfullygrowingingrace.wordpress.com
I’ve read the Bible (New Testament) concerning the Ten Comandments and I’ve arrived to this conclusion: neither Jesus Christ nor Apostle Paul have annuled or abolished the Ten Commandments. The Bible is crystal clear teaching the balance between Faith/Grace and the Law. I believe Hebrew Roots Movement is only valid if it’s based upon Scriptures only. But if it’s based upon Men’s Tradition of course it apostasy. We must remember the first Christians were Jews. There are Jewish laws that are exclusive to the Jewish the Gentiles are free from them. BUT we must not forget that Antisemitism has replaced Jewish Roots of Christianity for Paganism. Pagan Christianity is too serious to be omitted for Eastern and Christmas are pagans and CAN’T teach Christians about God’s Plan to Mankind, only Hebrew Roots Feasts of Leviticus can teach about God’s Plan to ALL and give us hope. We MUST also NOT FORGET Jacob/Israel had TWELVE sons, not only Judah! The Hebrew Roots means the Twelve Tribes of Israel Roots! And read Zechariah Book for he received a Kingdom of God’s revelation that clearly says everybody in the Kingdom of God will celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles in New Jerusalem under threat of dryness in their lands. Being TOTALLY AGAINST Hebrew Roots is also Replacement Theology! Balance is the Wisdom Key!
Did you even read the article that I quoted. From what you said it seems to me that you do not even know what the Hebrew Roots Movement is all about. We are not talking about Hebrew roots here we are talking about a heretical Hebrew Roots Movement that is neither Hebrew nor Christian.
One of the keys to wisdom is knowing what the issues are before commenting on them.
Sorry! I thought it was one more anti – hebrew doctrine! It’s a relief it’s said about Heretical Hebrew Roots NOT Hebrew Roots! I am tired of Pagan Christians who accuse almost everyone of heresy without proof while they are pagans. But I see I was wrong and you are not pagan. Sorry.
Need some input:
Earlier today I had a Jehovah’s witness on the ropes but he just wouldn’t yield. Does anybody have any suggestions and specific Scripture that may well convince him that Jesus IS GOD and that one must be born again. He sais he’s coming back.
I want to be better prepared.
Al,
They are not coming to be converted by you, he got his foot in the door now they will come back with someone with the answers and try to get you to doubt.
You have to understand that this is a demonic cult and these people have been thoroughly indoctrinated and brainwashed. They already know what Christians will bring up. It is a mistake to believe that they are coming back with an open mind to discus issues that you brought up.
If this cult did not know how to be convincing they would not be growing and almost all converts come from church goers that have little understanding about what they claim to believe.
Keep in mind that their Bible is a dishonest translation that conforms to their religion. They are not going to believe what you show them in yours.
Frankly, i think you are spiting into the wind. I have never heard of any JW being converted by those that they are trying to indoctrinate. Your just a potential notch on their works theology belt.
Most of the JW’s that have been converted to Christianity first fell away from their cult for some reason.
Here are a few things they believe in case you do not know. If your going to deal with them it is wise to know some things that they believe. Most of the following came from the “Kingdom of the Cults”, by the late Dr. Walter Martin.
* – The Watchtower Society Bible is not a correct translation. It contains wrong translations that were willfully twisted to conform to their doctrine. They omit or add words to scripture to transform to their doctrine
* – Jehovah Witnesses teach that all Christian denominations are in grave error and that only they have the truth
* – Jehovah Witnesses teach that Jesus is a created angel and not the Creator co-eternal with the Father
* – Jehovah Witnesses teach that the trinity doctrine (which is the cornerstone of Christianity) was originated by Satan
* – Jehovah Witnesses teach that Jesus is not Jehovah of the Bible but is a lesser created God
* – Jehovah Witnesses teach the Holy Spirit is a force and not a person
* – Jehovah Witnesses teach human reason is the utmost authority for determining if scripture is valid
* – Jehovah Witnesses teach the soul of man is mortal and that there is no hell or eternal punishment and that death is a cessation of consciousness.
* – The Watchtower society denies the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ and that He will return bodily. They say Jesus is an invisible spirit creature.
* – The Watchtower society teaches that Jesus came back as a spirit in 1914 and is now directing their society and thus fulfilling the righteous kingdom on earth
* – The Watchtower society teaches a limited atonement of Jesus on the cross. They say the rest comes through free will of man
* – The Watchtower society teach that those that are resurrected will become invisible spirit creatures
* – The Watchtower society has poor scholarship and don’t even publish who wrote their articles and won’t own up to obvious errors in past writings
* – Jehovah Witnesses do not recognize the God given authority of human government
* – Jehovah Witnesses teach that only 144,000 from their organization will rule with Jesus in the Heavenly Sphere
* – Jehovah Witnesses use Christian terms and put different meanings on them like “born again” which to them instead of being born of the Spirit means “a birth-like realization of prospects and hopes for spirit life by resurrection to heaven”
You are right Don.
But if they do come back should I quote John 1:1 Jesus is the word.
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God”
I assume they may use their version and say
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was a god”
I did tell them today that Jesus himself said “if you have seen Me you have seen the Father.”
He tried to say that that is akin to someone saying “ I’m just like my father” I shook my head in disbelief.
It was such a whirlwind that I forgot to mention to him that If he believes what he’s saying about Jesus being a created being (an angel) … then Jesus wouldn’t have been crucified. Since it was because he said he WAS “God” that he was put to death.
I tried to explain the trinity to him, that in fact all three person of the trinity are the one and same God.
I used the first line of the Bible. “in the Beginning God created the Heavens and the Earth”
I told him Beginning references time, Heavens references space and Earth references matter… and that each of those exist also in three different forms.
i.e Matter: Gas. Solid Liquid
I said maybe God was showing His triune Godhead through creation itself.
He seemed to pause for a moment and was attentive with what I said. Maybe he was playing me – I don’t know.
Don please be completely Frank with me … Should I bother with him anymore (any of them ever) or just keep the door shut?
I do not believe you are going to get anywhere with them but if you are grounded enough to handle them you might as well waste their time and then they cannot be using it to deceive someone less knowledgeable.
They think that they are the people with human reason. So make them reason out the first ten verses of chapter one of Revelation. Here is what can be learned about God from those verses. Here is the summery of those verses from my Revelation Commentary.
Some of the fundamental Christian truths found in just the first 10 verses of Revelation
· Verse one tells us that the book is a prophecy about future events.
· Verse one also tells us that Jesus was given this Revelation by the Father, He thus was not all knowing as a man of flesh because He limited Himself to His brain of flesh and what the Father revealed to Him. Therefore, Jesus and Father God could not be the same person.
· Verse two says John bore record of the Word of God and John in his gospel tells us the Word he bore record of was God and that this God dwelt among us in the body of Jesus.
· Verse three teaches that the prophecy in Revelation is ongoing in the Church.
· Verse four says that God always exists.
· Verse four also tells us that God’s Holy Spirit has seven characteristics.
· Verse four and five make it clear that God is a triune being consisting of three divine persons, the Father, The Son and the Holy Spirit (seen through seven characteristics of the Spirit).
· Verse five tells us that Jesus is a distinct person from Father God.
· Verse five also tells us that Jesus was the first to rise from the dead that would not die again.
· Verse five in addition teaches us salvation comes from the shed blood of Jesus alone.
· Verse five further indicates a full atonement for sin by the shed blood of Jesus.
· Verse six says believers will become kings and priests unto God by the work Jesus did and not by our own merits.
· Verse six also tells us that Jesus has a Father so Jesus is not the Father.
· Verse seven says that Jesus is physically coming back again.
· Verse seven also implies that there will be judgment at His coming.
· Verse seven further indicates that dead people are aware and that disputes the doctrine of soul sleep.
· Verse eight tells us that Jesus is God Almighty and the beginner and ender of all things.
· Verse nine implies that all Christians will be in tribulation while in this world.
· Verse nine also says that all Christians are brothers and companions in the kingdom.
· Verse nine further tells why the Kingdom is not yet on earth; Jesus is patient not willing that any should perish (2 Pe 3:9).
· Verse ten says there is a day called the Lord’s day or Day of the Lord .
Thanks Don for your time and advice, and for all the info.
I will certainly pray for Gods council on this matter as well.
I’ve still to pray on it more, but having prayed a little and giving it more thought… and should he come back… I will stick to one topic alone and force his hand on that… if he yields not I will ask him to leave.
I’m thinking I will us the following scripture. I thought on your suggestion of Revelation 1:1-9 It is splendid… and Don, if I was at your level of understanding scripture and revelation in particular, I would go with that.
But I’m just a young student.
I also feel that he would try to skirt those passages with some mystical interpretation
I will only address this with him … Jesus is God!
And I will use the following scripture and commentary.
Isaiah 7:14-“Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel” (Immanuel literally means “God with us”).
Isaiah 9:6-“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end….”
Jeremiah 23:5-6-“Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.” Christ’s name in Hebrew is YHWH Tsidkenu, Jehovah Our Righteousness.
Micah 5:2-“But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.” Christ has always existed because He is not a created being; He is God Almighty who has existed from everlasting.
Matthew 1:23-“Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.”
John 1:1-3, 14-“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made…. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”
“The late New Testament Greek scholar Colwell formulated a rule which clearly states that a definite predicate nominative (in this case theos meaning ‘God’) never takes an article when it precedes the verb (‘was’) as we find in John 1:1. It is therefore easy to see that no article is needed for theos (God), and to translate it ‘a god’ is both incorrect grammar and poor Greek, since theos is a predicate nominative of ‘was’ in the third sentence-clause of the verse and must refer back to the subject, ‘Word’ (logos). Christ, then, if He is the Word “made flesh” (Jn. 1:14), can be no one else except God, unless the Greek text, and consequently God’s Word, be denied.” [2]
John 1:18-“No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.”
John 20:27-28-“Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.”
Romans 9:5-“…Christ came, who is over all, the eternally blessed God. Amen”
Philippians 2:5-8-“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.”
“‘Who was in the form of God’ are his [the Apostle Paul’s] words: and they are words than which no others could be chosen which would more explicitly or with more directness assert the deity of…Jesus Christ…. Let us remember that the phraseology which Paul here employs was the popular usage of his day, though first given general vogue by the Aristotelian philosophy: and that it was accordingly the most natural language for strongly asserting the deity of Christ which could suggest itself to him…. ‘Form,’ in a word, is equivalent to our phrase ‘specific character.’… With God…the ‘form’ is that body of qualities which distinguish Him from all other spiritual beings, which constitute Him God, and without which He would not be God. What Paul asserts, then, when he says that Christ Jesus existed in the ‘form of God,’ is that He had all those characterizing qualities which make God God, the presence of which constitutes God, and in the absence of which God does not exist. He who is ‘in the form of God’ is God.”
Colossians 1:15-16-“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….”
When the Apostle Paul says that Christ is the firstborn over all creation, he does not mean that Christ is the first created being. For he goes on to explain that Jesus Christ created everything in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible. Jesus Christ could not create Himself. The idea among various cults that Christ is the first created being is an impossible absurdity.
Colossians 2:8-10-“Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power.”
1 Timothy 1:16-17-“Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting. Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.”
1 Timothy 2:3-4-“For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.”
1 Timothy 3:16-“And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.”
Titus 1:3-“But hath in due times manifested his word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Saviour.”
Titus 2:10-“…showing all good fidelity; that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things.”
Titus 2:13-“Looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ”
Jude 25-“To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and for ever. Amen.”
Jesus Christ Clearly Taught His Own Divinity
Revelation 21:6-7-“And he [Jesus Christ] said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.”
John 8:57-59-“Then the Jews said to Him, ‘You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?’ Jesus said to them, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.’ Then they took up stones to throw at Him; but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple…” (NKJV).
John 5:17-26-“But Jesus answered them, ‘My Father has been working until now, and I have been working.’ Therefore the Jews sought all the more to kill Him, because He not only broke the Sabbath, but also said that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God. Then Jesus answered and said to them,… ‘For as the Father raises the dead and gives life to them, even so the Son gives life to whom He will…. For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself'” (NKJV).
John 10:28-39-“And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. I and my Father are one. Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him. Jesus answered them, Many good works have I showed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me? The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God. Jesus answered them,… If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not. But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him. Therefore they sought again to take him: but he escaped out of their hand.”
Mark 2:5-11-“When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee. But there were certain of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts, Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only?… [Jesus] said unto them, But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy,) I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house” (cf. Lk. 5:20-24).
What do you think Don?
Al,
Just my two cents, sounds like your very astute and well grounded, great stuff.
Al,
Give it a run, it sounds like they will not be around long
Thanks for the support brothers!
In this (should he return to debate my position) I’d be much grateful for your prayers (in advance) also.
Blessings.