Subject: Is the first resurrection, the rapture? |
Bible Note: Part two.............................................. Greetings Sisterkath! As promised, I will now address your questions (at least most of them). When it comes to the relationship between Jesus and the Father, there are four logical possiblities. 1) There is only one God, and Jesus is God. 2) There is only one God, and Jesus is not God. 3) There are more than one Gods, and Jesus is a god. 4) There are more than one Gods, and Jesus is not a god. As I have demonstrated from Scripture, options 3) and 4) are not possible based upon the very statments of Jehovah Himself. So, that leaves options 1) and 2). Christians have always affirmed that there is only one God, yet John 1:1 (among many other verses) makes it clear that Jesus is God. This led some to adopt a hersy called Modalism, where it was said that there is only one God, but He manifests Himself as Father, and sometimes as the Son, and sometimes as the Holy Spirit. This heresy is better than the false doctrine being taught by Jehovah's Witnesses, because it at least has the identity of Christ right. But, it is still wrong. God is far beyond our understanding. How can anyone be everywhere and everywhen? Yet, God is! The Trinity is simply a human attempt to explain the evidence of Scripture and the nature of God. We know the following from Scripture: a) There is only one God. b) The Father is God. c) Jesus is God. d) The Holy Spirit is God. Therefore, the doctrine of Trinity says, "There is only one God, but within that one God are three distinct Persons." Each one is God, but the Father is not the Son, the Son is not the Holy Spirit. Each one is God, but there is only one God. This is the answer to some of your question. It explains how one can pray to another, ect.... However, the primary answer to your questions is found in the incarnation. Phil. 2:5-11 tells us that Jesus had equality with God (which in and of itself tells us that He is God, since God Himself said that He has no equal). However, He emptied Himself and became flesh. While on earth, Jesus did not know everything. He was limited in space and time. He was fully human. He also subjected Himself to His Father during the incarnation, until the time mentioned in Phil. 2:5-11 when every knee would bow to Jesus. Now, I know that JW's make a lot of fuss over the Trinity not making 'sense'. But, nothing I have said above is contradictory. It is logically consistent and possible. Is it hard to grasp? Yes! :-) But, so is trying to grasp that God is timeless and unlimited in any way. We can't grasp that concept because we are limited by space, time, and ability. In contrast though, what the JW's are asking you to believe about Jesus is contradictory. Scripture says that there is no god besides Jehovah, yet Jesus is called God. Scripture says that there is no other savior besides Jehovah, yet Jesus is called Savior. Scripture says that Jehovah created all things, yet the New Testament says that Jesus created all things. Yet, the JW's would have to ignore these truths and make Jesus 'a lesser god' even though Scripture says that there are no other gods. You must make a choice my friend. Either Scripture is correct or the JW's are correct. If you choose to ignore Scripture and accept the lie that Jesus is another god, in spire of what Jehovah Himself says, then according to John 8:24, you will be lost. I would be more than happy to discuss the Trinity with you further, but we must first come to grips with what Is. 43:10 says. Otherwise, we are just wasting time! Your Brother in Christ, Tim Moran |