{"id":70765,"date":"2024-10-31T19:04:33","date_gmt":"2024-11-01T00:04:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/?page_id=70765"},"modified":"2024-10-31T19:27:45","modified_gmt":"2024-11-01T00:27:45","slug":"shaky-pillar-5-denial-of-christs-deity","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/bible-studies\/the-watchtower-built-on-sand\/shaky-pillar-5-denial-of-christs-deity\/","title":{"rendered":"Shaky Pillar #5: Denial of Christ\u2019s Deity"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\t

Shaky Pillar #5
\nDenial of Christ’s Deity<\/h1>\n

“Well, did Jesus ever say that he was God? No, he never did. Rather, in the Bible he is called ‘God’s Son'” (You Can Live Forever in Paradise on Earth, Copyright 1982 by Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, Page 39).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

They deny that Jesus is actually God.<\/p>\n

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God<\/em>” (John 1:1). Because “the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us<\/em>” (John 1:14), it is evident that the Word is Jesus of Nazareth, so the verse plainly refers to Him. Jesus is God who was with God.<\/p>\n

In their proprietary version of the Bible, which in and of itself is highly suspicious, the New World Translation puts it as: “In [the] beginning the Word was, and the Word was with God, and the Word was a god” [emphasis added]. The word “a” is an indefinite article in English, indicating a generic or unidentified noun. There are some words in this verse that translators skip over when bringing the Greek into English simply because English does not require their inclusion, but “a” is not the word! Rather, it is the definite article “the!” The definite article means the noun is known to the reader. The definite article appears over 5,000 times in the Greek New Testament. Not a single reputable translation ever renders it as “a.” A word-for-word, literal, and direct translation of John 1:1 would actually be: “In the beginning was the<\/strong> Word, and the<\/strong> Word was with the<\/strong> God, and God was the Word” [emphasis added]. By suggesting an alternative translation, the Watchtower is counting on unquestioning acceptance, but serious students will consult the original language and see the Greek text presents the opposite of what the New World Translation attempts to communicate. Jesus is not “a god;” He is “the God!”<\/p>\n

Not only is He “the God” as opposed to merely “a god,” but so much more, Jesus is the fullness of God! “In him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily<\/em>” (Colossians 2:9). God is incomplete without Christ. The Son of God is described not as His offspring but as “the effulgence of his glory, and the very image of his substance<\/em>” (Hebrews 1:3).<\/p>\n

In a chapter devoted to proving the superiority of Christ over angels because of what God said to His Son and did not say to angels, the Hebrew writer quoted Psalm 45, “But to the Son (he saith,) ‘Thy throne, O God<\/strong>, is for ever and ever’<\/em>” (Hebrews 1:8). God called Him God!<\/p>\n

Immediately after the reference to Psalm 45, the inspired penman to the Hebrews also quoted the 102nd Psalm: “And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning didst lay the foundation of the earth, And the heavens are the works of thy hands’<\/em>” (Hebrews 1:10) and that Psalm is addressed to Jehovah (Psalm 102:1). The people calling themselves “Jehovah’s Witnesses” should know better.<\/p>\n

Scripture affirms Jesus Christ to be the Son of God, God Himself, the fullness of God, the express image of God – in short, Jehovah. To deny these facts about Him is to deny Him and “Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father<\/em>” (I John 2:23).<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPrior Lesson\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tThe Watchtower Built on Sand\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tNext Lesson\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Shaky Pillar #5 Denial of Christ’s Deity “Well, did Jesus ever say that he was God? No, he never did. Rather, in the Bible he is called ‘God’s Son’” (You Can Live Forever in Paradise on Earth, Copyright 1982 by Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, Page 39). They deny that Jesus is actually God.…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":70728,"menu_order":5,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-70765","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":70728,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/bible-studies\/the-watchtower-built-on-sand\/","url_meta":{"origin":70765,"position":0},"title":"The Watchtower Built on Sand","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"October 31, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"The Watchtower Built on Sand An Expos\u00e9 of the Doctrine of the So-Called \"Jehovah's Witnesses\" by Bryan Matthew Dockens Introduction Shaky Pillar #1: False Prophecy Shaky Pillar #2: False Hope of Heaven Shaky Pillar #3: False Hope of Earth Shaky Pillar #4: False Hope of Hell Shaky Pillar #5: Denial\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":70740,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/bible-studies\/the-watchtower-built-on-sand\/shaky-pillar-1-false-prophecy\/","url_meta":{"origin":70765,"position":1},"title":"Shaky Pillar #1: False Prophecy","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"October 31, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Shaky Pillar #1 False Prophecy \"But bear in mind that the end of 1914 is not the date for the beginning, but for the end of the time of trouble\" (Zion's Watch Tower, July 15th, 1894, page 226). Many times over the years, beginning with a prediction of 1914, the\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":70759,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/bible-studies\/the-watchtower-built-on-sand\/shaky-pillar-4-false-hope-of-hell\/","url_meta":{"origin":70765,"position":2},"title":"Shaky Pillar #4: False Hope of Hell","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"October 31, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Shaky Pillar #4 False Hope of Hell \"Hell could not be a place of torment because such an idea never came into the mind or heart of God. Additionally, to torment a person eternally because he did wrong on earth for a few years is contrary to justice\" (You Can\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":21937,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/bible-studies\/a-study-of-john\/an-introduction-to-the-christ\/","url_meta":{"origin":70765,"position":3},"title":"An Introduction to the Christ","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"April 29, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Lesson 1: An Introduction to the Christ Text: John 1:1-5 Reading: John 1:1-18 \u00a0 I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The Word - John 1:1-2 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Words are the vehicles which transport a thought from one mind to another. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a01.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The Bible is medium that reveals the mind of God to man \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0a.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The Apostles taught the words of\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":10322,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/bible-studies\/genesis-a-study-of-the-beginning\/the-creation\/who-is-god\/","url_meta":{"origin":70765,"position":4},"title":"Who Is God? (Genesis)","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"September 22, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Who Is God? In Genesis 1, we learn that God created all that we know, including ourselves. However, do we really understand who is God? Perhaps this is more difficult than you would think. Can we truly understand a being who can create an entire universe in just six days?\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":65011,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/bible-studies\/a-study-of-john\/the-deity-of-jesus\/","url_meta":{"origin":70765,"position":5},"title":"The Deity of Jesus (John)","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"December 25, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"The Deity of Jesus Text: John 10:22-42 I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0We jump ahead in time to the feast of Dedication, which took place in the winter time. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Jesus is in the temple, in the area known as the portico of Solomon. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0B.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The Jews gather around Jesus and ask Jesus to come out plainly\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/70765","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=70765"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/70765\/revisions"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/70728"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=70765"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}