Jesus is the “I AM”

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Jesus-Is-The-I-AM.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton I.          Many religions cast doubts on the deity of Jesus              A.         Jehovah’s Witnesses claim that Jesus is the first creation of God.              B.         Muslims see Jesus as nothing more than a significant prophet, much like Moses.              C.         Probably the best analysis of who is Jesus is found in the book of John. II.         The evidence…

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On What Was Jesus Crucified?

by Jefferson David Tant According to the Jehovah’s Witnesses doctrine, Christ was put to death on a pole, rather than a cross. Notice a quote from their literature. “Jesus did not die on a cross. He died on a pole, or a stake. The Greek word translated ‘cross’ in many Bible verses meant just one…

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You Can’t Understand the Bible Without the Watchtower!

by Jefferson David Tant The September 2007 Kingdom Ministry had a Question Box that said the Governing Body does not want Jehovah’s Witnesses to meet privately to discuss the Bible. That’s strange. For people who claim to be devoted Bible students … it seems that the leadership really doesn’t want them to read the Bible…

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Isn’t there a textual variation in II Peter 3:10?

Question: Dear Sirs. I have read your Web page critiquing the NWT of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Very interesting. May I just address just one of the scripture places you examined, namely II Peter 3:10? It seems you think the NWT mistranslates it here. But they did not as the verb they translated, which appears in the…

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The Superiority of Christ

by Jefferson David Tant Hebrews chapter one contains a wealth of information as to Christ’s identity and his unique position in all creation. This is what sets him apart from all other so-called “prophets” and would-be “saviors.” No other can match his credentials. Neither Joseph Smith, Muhammad, Zoroaster, Buddha, Mary Baker Eddy, Ron Hubbard, Vishnu,…

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Watering Down Hell

by Jim R. Everett An Answer to “Conditional Immortality” The modern, liberal theologian has joined the cultic religionist in seeking to “water down” hell and make eternal punishment nothing more than a momentary oxidation of the body. He inconsistently affirms the eternal nature of God and the future state of the righteous by denying the…

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What Is “A Different Gospel?”

by Jefferson David Tant In the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Galatian churches, in the beginning, he deals with a serious problem in the churches concerning which he has knowledge, and that is “a different gospel.” “I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for…

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The Bible Is Understandable

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/The-Bible-Is-Understandable.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Psalm 119:97-112   I.         When it comes to religion, people seem to prefer having a mystery             A.        Those in leadership of many denominations prefer it because people depend on them for answers.             B.        Those in the ranks of denominations are satisfied having others tell them what they need to know.             C.        The problem…

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John, Jesus, and Jehovah’s Witnesses

by Jefferson David Tant Those who are familiar with the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ teaching about Jesus Christ are aware that they believe that Christ is not the Son of God, but that he is Michael the Archangel, a created being. Note the following quote from their writings: “the evidence indicates that the Son of God was…

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Jehovah’s Witnesses Failed Prophecies

by Jefferson David Tant Jehovah’s Witnesses are known throughout much of the world. Their zeal in spreading their doctrines by sending out missionaries who go from door to door is well known. While we admire their commitment to their doctrines, we must acknowledge that their faith is not based on a solid foundation. This religion…

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Will there truly be no more sickness?

Question: Hi minister, Please I would like to ask about Isaiah 33:24. Is it truly saying that there will be sickness no more as the Jehovah’s Witnesses claim? Answer: Both the nations of Israel and Judah have become involved in rampant sin. They had gotten complacent (Isaiah 32:9-11). They were treacherous and destructive (Isaiah 33:1).…

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If Christ Built Only One, Where Did They All Come From?

by Jefferson David Tant At the beginning of the gospel age, there was but one church, and now, 2000 years later, according to some reports, there are over 1,200. How did this happen? People wonder where they all came from. Is this division and confusion what Christ intended? Let’s examine this situation to see just…

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New Heavens and a New Earth

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/NewHeavensAndANewEarth.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Isaiah 65:17-25   I.         A frequent mistake made in reading the Scriptures is to recognize the meaning of a phrase in one area of the Bible and then assume that the phrase has the same meaning everywhere it is used.             A.        An example of this is found in Isaiah 65:17.                         1.         Some…

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The 144,000

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/144000.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Revelation 14:1-5   I.         The Jehovah’s Witnesses teach that the kingdom of heaven will be established after the “end times” with 144,000 faithful saints chosen by God to becomes spirits and to rule with Christ for the millennium.             A.        These rulers, they say, will govern the earth on which will dwell…

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Was God’s original plan to have humans live on the earth forever?

  Question: Thank you, sir, for using the word of God in answering questions. God bless you for that. Sir, I was studying the Bible with two Jehovah’s Witnesses members. I was told most of the righteous will be in the big crowd and enjoy paradise on earth. I was also told that was God’s…

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Do the righteous leave this world?

Question: I had a study with someone and this was his explanation of these Scriptures. In I Thessalonians 4:13-17, Verse 13: Paul doesn’t want us to be ignorant concerning where are the dead. That’s the subject. Verse 14: God will bring those that have died back with him. Verse 15: They who are alive and…

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The Unchanging Word

by Jefferson David Tant In one of the conversations our Lord was having with his disciples, he stated: “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away” (Matthew 24:35). And the apostle Peter wrote: “For, All flesh is as grass, And all the glory thereof as the flower of grass. The…

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Should John 1:18 have “Son” or “God”?

Question: Hello! I’ve been studying with Jehovah’s Witnesses hoping to be a light and share the truth.  As I am sure you know, the biggest obstacle is the deity of Christ.  One thing in my research is John 1:18 – the Greek that I have references to the word translated as son is theos, not huios as you had…

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Can a Christian offer a pledge of allegiance?

Question: Hello. I have some questions concerning whether patriotism is permissible for a Christian. I would like to know your views on matters such as the pledge of allegiance and military service. I am coming from a perspective taught to me by the Jehovah’s Witnesses, whose beliefs I have studied for some time. I do…

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Did Jesus die on a cross or a stake?

Question: The Jehovah’s Witnesses make the claim that Jesus did not die on a cross, they say he died on a torture stake. They make note that the word the King James translators rendered as “cross” is the Greek word “stauros”, meaning an upright post or stake. The research I have done shows that the…

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Does the Bible say the earth will be renewed at Jesus’ coming?

Question: Once again I have a question that I dealing with. I recently had a friend of mine converted to Seventh-Day Adventist religion. He has been studying with them and basically accepted a lot of their beliefs that they are teaching. He has even provided me the events surrounding the second coming of Jesus from…

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What About Latter-Day Revelation from God?

by Clem Thurman via Gospel Minutes, Vol. 57, No. 47, Nov. 21, 2008. QUESTION: Is the Bible the complete and final revelation from God or is He continuing to give revelation through certain chosen people or organizations, such as the Mormon Church, The Catholic Pope ex-cathedra, Mohammad via the Koran, The New World Translation, Ellen…

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Doesn’t more than one translation says “‘the Word was a god?”

Question: Regarding your statement on in “Jesus is God”: “To get what Jehovah’s Witnesses wish to claim, that Jesus was just a god in the sense that some men are “gods” in that they are God’s representatives you would need “and the Word was God” (καὶ θεός ?ν ὁ λόγος) in the Greek. This is why…

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Does Hell Exist?

by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Mark 9:42-48   I.         Generally people prefer to think upon pleasant things, so when talking to people about the need to become a Christian, we put emphasis on reaching heaven.             A.        People focus on the love of God – Romans 5:8                         1.         But they don’t want to think about the other side of…

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Will the earth be destroyed?

Question: Will the earth be destroyed? Answer: “Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle (in both of which I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder), that you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us, the apostles of…

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How can I convert my wife who is a Jehovah’s Witness?

Question: My wife is a Jehovah’s Witnesses member and I wanted to ask what I need to do to convert her. She is not yet open for discussion, though she is not yet baptized in their congregation. It seems to me that she’s insisting on defending her religion even though I cite her many passages to…

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Predictions of the Second Coming by Jehovah’s Witnesses

by Matthew Allen “Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight” (Acts 1:9-10). From that time until the present, men have been anxiously awaiting the return of Jesus Christ. Throughout the centuries, some men have even tried to predict His…

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How is Truth Determined?

by Oscar C. Miles What probably bothers me most about Jehovah’s Witnesses and Mormons is that they do not allow any possibility that they might be in error. It seems to me that they have been programmed to resist the possibility of fallibility in their organization. They believe that they are God’s organization and thus…

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Is the New World Translation Accurate?

by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Isaiah 8:19-22   I.         Members of the Jehovah’s Witnesses have become excited in recent times. An author with a Ph.D. after his name has written a book saying the New World Translation and the New American Bible (a Catholic translation) are the most accurate translations.             A.        He compared nine translations:                         1.         King James…

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Why do you say the New World Translation is not a reliable translation?

Question: On your web site, it reads that The New World Translation (NWT) “…is not a reliable translation”. Prof. Jason BeDuhn in his book Truth in Translation Accuracy and Bias in English Translations of the New Testament (this is not the only book) would strongly disagree with your conclusion that the NWT “is not a reliable…

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Are you a Jehovah’s Witnesses church?

Question: Would you consider your church to be a Jehovah’s Witnesses church? I really enjoy reading the question and answer section of your website. It is very enlightening. Keep up the great work. P.S. I mean no disrespect. I’m just curious. God bless you brother. Answer: The Jehovah’s Witnesses are a denomination that traces their…

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Isn’t there a distinction between the 144,000 and the great multitude?

Question: I don’t disagree about the symbolism John constantly uses in Revelation, but I noticed a distinct difference he says concerning the twelve tribes, for the 144,000, but then he goes on to talk about other people. Revelation 7:8 Of the tribe of Zebulun [were] sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Joseph [were] sealed…

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