Thursday, January 19, 2012

Answering the Jehovah's Witnesses (Part 3)

Click here to start at the beginning of this series on the Jehovah's Witnesses. Again, this series is devoted to addressing the Jehovah's Witnesses' misconceptions concerning the identity of Christ. They view Jesus as an archangel, not as a member of the Godhead.

In an attempt to prove that Jesus is a created being (thereby disproving His divinity), the JW's often turn to Colossians 1:15 where the inspired apostle Paul says, "He (Jesus) is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation." The argument is easy to see - Jesus was the first of God's creations, putting Him on par with angels, not God. However, with a simple consideration of context and biblical language, this argument is easily answered.

The point is this: the term "firstborn" in scripture does not necessarily mean "the first one born" (literally). Oftentimes, it simply is meant to emphasize preeminence and position. Notice how the very context of Colossians 1:15 bears this out:
"He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence. For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fulness should dwell" (Col. 1:15-19).
What does it mean that Jesus was the firstborn? It's not that He was the first being "born" or created by God, but that He has preeminence over ALL things. Jesus is the "beginning" of creation; the word beginning is from the Greek word arche which means, "a commencement, or (concrete) chief (in various applications of order, time, place or rank): - beginning, corner, (at the, the) first (estate), magistrate, power, principality, principle, rule" (STRONG'S, #G746). Jesus is the "chief" in "rank," or the POWER-SOURCE and originator of all creation.

Psalm 89:27 says of Christ, "Also I will make Him My firstborn, the HIGHEST of the kings of the earth." It's not that Jesus was the first created being, but that He has preeminence. Along these same lines, in Genesis 49:3, Jacob said to Reuben, "Reuben, you are my firstborn, my might and the beginning of my strength, the excellency of power..."

I know that some of this is confusing, and that's because we are not accustomed to this kind of language. We don't necessarily give preference to our firstborn children but try to treat them all equally. But during biblical times, especially in the Old Testament, it was customary to give the firstborn a "double portion" (Deut. 21:15-17). Just read the story of Jacob and Esau and you will see how special it was to be the firstborn son - it meant superiority, preeminence, position, etc.

This is why God said of the nation of Israel, "Then you shall say to Pharaoh, 'Thus says the Lord: Israel is My son, My firstborn." The nation of Israel was by no means the first nation to come into existence, and yet Israel was chosen by God and was preeminent among the nations, making it "God's firstborn." So the term doesn't need to be applied literally; it can absolutely be used to represent POSITION; this is the manner in which it is used in Colossians 1:15.

In closing, the book of Colossians proves Jesus' deity. Earlier, we read 1:19 which says that Jesus possessed all "fulness." In Colossians 2:9, this is clarified: "For in Him (Jesus) dwells ALL the fulness of the Godhead bodily." The term Godhead literally means divinity; Jesus possessed (and still possesses) every element of divinity and "godhood."

Keep these things in mind when studying with the Jehovah's Witnesses...

Click here to read the next installment in this series.

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