Jehovah's Witnesses and John 1:1
By J. Neil Daniel The New World Translation (NWT), used by Jehovah's Witnesses, translates John 1:1 differently than most traditional English Bibles. The traditional rendering of this verse is: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." However, the NWT translates the verse as: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was a god.'' This translation has been criticized for reflecting the Jehovah's Witnesses' doctrinal beliefs more than the original Greek text. Jehovah's Witnesses believe that Jesus (referred to as "the Word" in John 1:1) is a created being and not co-equal with God the Father (as well as God the Holy Spirit), which contrasts with biblical and historical Christian belief in the deity of Christ. The controversy centers on the translation of the Greek phrase "καὶ θεὸς ἦν ὁ λόγος" (kai theos ēn ho logos). The NWT translates this as "and the Word was a god," using the indefinite article "a" which does not exist in the Greek text. The NWT's translation is problematic because it implies polytheism (the belief in multiple gods) which is inconsistent with the monotheistic context of both the Old and New Testaments (Deu. 6:4; Isa. 43:10; 1 Cor. 8:6; 1 Tim. 2:5). Further, critics argue that this is a mistranslation, asserting that the phrase should be translated as "and the Word was God," affirming the full deity of Christ. The argument from Greek grammar for the traditional translation of John 1:1 as "and the Word was God" centers on the use and absence of the definite article in the Greek text. In Greek, the subject of a sentence is often indicated by the article, and the predicate nominative (the complement of the subject) lacks the article to show that it is describing the nature or essence of the subject. In John 1:1, "the Word" (ho logos) has the article, indicating that it is the subject, while "God" (theos) lacks the article, which suggests that it is the predicate nominative describing the nature of the Word. Greek scholars generally agree that the absence of the article before theos (God) in the phrase "καὶ θεὸς ἦν ὁ λόγος" (kai theos ēn ho logos) does not make the term indefinite (as in "a god") but qualitative, conveying the nature or essence of the Word. This grammatical structure is used to emphasize that the Word (Logos) shares the same nature as God without equating the Word as the totality of God, which would be implied if the definite article were used before theos. The argument from the Greek text rests upon a rule formulated in 1933 by E. C. Colwell. Colwell's rule states that a definite predicate nominative does not require the article when it precedes the verb, as is the case in John 1:1. This means that in Greek, when a predicate nominative (a noun that follows a linking verb and refers back to the subject) comes before the verb and is intended to be understood as definite, it often does not have the definite article "the" associated with it. In Colwell's own words, ''…predicate nouns preceding the verb cannot be regarded as indefinite or qualitative simply because they lack the article; it could be regarded as indefinite or qualitative only if this is demanded by the context and in the case of John 1:1c this is not so.”(“A Definite Rule for the Use of the Article in the Greek New Testament,” Journal of Biblical Literature 52 [1933]: 20). Colwell's research, vindicated by Daniel Wallace and others, showed that this grammatical construction was common and that the absence of the article did not make the predicate nominative indefinite (as in "a god") but rather qualitative, emphasizing the nature or essence of the subject. This rule supports the translation "and the Word was God," indicating that the Word has the same nature as God, rather than being a separate, lesser deity. In summary, critics argue that the NWT's translation of John 1:1 is influenced by the Jehovah's Witnesses' doctrinal stance, rather than being a faithful rendering of the original Greek text. The Greek grammar of John 1:1 supports the translation "and the Word was God" because the absence of the definite article before theos is a common way to express a predicate nominative that describes the essence or nature of the subject, in this case, affirming the deity of the Word without equating the Word as being the Father or the totality of God.
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As a Christian, how do we resist and overcome Satan?
It's not by some magical incantation. Nor by "binding" him. Nor is it by any sort of exorcism right. Nor is it by being super spiritual or wielding some supernatural power of God. Nor is it by any magical use of the name of Jesus. The Bible gives us a clear answer: "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world." -1 Peter 5:8-9 NKJV "Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded." -James 4:7-8a NKJV We are to resist Satan and his demons by being "steadfast (standing firm) in the faith" and by "submit to God...draw near to God." We do this through reading His Word and through prayer. "Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth." -Colossians 3:2 NKJV -Daniel- When it comes to addressing the paranormal from a biblical perspective, there is quite often a pushback/response from Christians that "Answering questions about the paranormal is irrelevant. What we need to do is just share the Gospel", or "We don't need to be concerned with things of the world or try to control the world".
And this is true, we cannot control the world, nor are we called to do so. And we are called first and foremost as believers to proclaim the Gospel. This also includes defending our faith and giving a reason for the hope that is within us (1 Peter 3:15). That oftentimes involves answering questions that the unbeliever has about how Christians and the Bible relate to certain topics. That is the thrust of apologetics. Sadly, fascination with the paranormal is growing exponentially in the world today and the church for the most part is ignoring it or simply addressing it by saying "It's demonic. God says it's wrong. So don't do it." Which, while true, often leaves the unbeliever with more questions than answers. Why is it demonic? How does the Bible address the types of phenomena that are reported by people who experience them? If we as Christians tell the unbeliever that we either will not or cannot address their questions, well, the unbeliever is then forced to seek their answers not from the fountain of all Truth, but from the world. This is why Six-Twelve Ministries exists. To help equip the church and believers to better understand what the Bible has to say about the paranormal so that believers are better equipped to defend the Truth, answer questions they are confronted with, and ultimately point people to Jesus Christ through the proclamation of the Gospel. All to His glory alone! -Daniel- I know we have been pretty quiet over the last year or so, with little original content being produced But Lord willing that will all be changing soon. We have a focus and goals in mind now and are moving forward toward actively producing God glorifying, Scripture centered apologetics content focused on the areas of the paranormal, occult, and counter-cult apologetics.
-Daniel- We would like to announce that we have welcomed Christian author, theologian, and apologist, J Neil Daniel to the Six-Twelve Ministries team! He will be contributing material and focusing on counter-cult apologetics.
He holds a PhD in Systematic Theology from Shalom Bible College and Seminary, as well as a D.B.S. and M.B.S. from Calvary Christian College and Seminary. It is a blessing and honor to have this Brother as part of our team, helping to defend, contend, and teach the Truth. Soli Deo gloria! -Daniel McAdams- Founder, Director, Apologist No, the pagan gods could not have been archangels.
Angels are spirit beings that do God’s will. The word “angel” comes from the Greek word meaning “messenger”. The Bible makes it clear that angels do the Lords will and obey His command. Thus, angels and archangels will not do anything that would lead people to worship them as gods. Bless the LORD, O you his angels, you mighty ones who do his word, obeying the voice of his word! -Psalm 103:20 ESV I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I heard and saw them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed them to me, but he said to me, “You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers the prophets, and with those who keep the words of this book. Worship God.” -Revelation 22:8–9 ESV What then could the pagan gods have been? I believe they were demons. Paul writes this in his letter to the believers in Corinth: No, I imply that what pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be participants with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons. -1 Corinthians 10:20–21 ESV Demons are supernatural, superhuman beings. Being fallen angels, their mission in life is to prevent people from following God and prevent Christians from living for God and sharing the Gospel of Christ. Being supernatural and superhuman, they can do things that blow our minds and that we cannot comprehend. Thus, I posit that many of the pagan gods were demons that appeared and did something which caused the people to believe they had come in contact with a “god” and thus worshipped the demon as a god. I also believe that there are “gods” that are creations of human minds as an attempt to answer or explain a natural phenomena that they could not understand. -Daniel- Our culture may change with new fads and ideologies coming and going, but we should never force the Bible or Jesus to change and conform to cultural standards. He and His Word are not some "creations" of our own design that we can force to fit into the box of culture.
The Bible is unchanging. Jesus is unchanging. ("Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever." -Hebrews 13:8 CSB) We do not let culture dictate what the Bible says is truth. We let the Bible tell us what is truth and filter culture through it. We change our way of life and conform to the Word of God, we do not force the Word of God to conform to what we desire. That is not how God works. If you claim to be a Christian and claim that He is Lord of your life, then you will live like it and allow His Word to guide your life. It will become your standard and sure foundation. It will be your truth and guide. He(Jesus) said, “Rather, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it.” -Luke 11:28 CSB Blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it, says Jesus Himself. He doesn't tell us, "blessed are those who change the word of God in order to conform to society and then keep it." The Word of God is the unchanging Truth. We know that God cannot lie, therefore, it is impossible for His Word to lie. "in the hope of eternal life that God, who cannot lie, promised before time began." -Titus 1:2 CSB "God is not a man, that he might lie, or a son of man, that he might change his mind. Does he speak and not act, or promise and not fulfill?" -Numbers 23:19 CSB Too many Christians today try to live a worldly life and then force the Bible to conform to cultural standards in order to justify God being "ok" with how they are living. In today's age of moral relativism, many Christians have fallen into the heresy that the Bible isn't actually God's Word or that it needs to be changed/updated to fit in with society. If they read something in the Bible that upsets them or contradicts how they live, instead of humbling themselves before God, repenting and conforming themselves to Him, they attempt to "find a loophole" or "re-interpret that particular passage to bring it up-to-date with the times." All this shows is an ignorance of Scripture and that they worship a false "god" whom they believe they can control and manipulate into saying whatever they need to in order to justify their beliefs and lifestyle. A "god" whose word can be changed to fit any sort of lifestyle or cultural preference is not the God of the Bible, but a manmade "god." If you truly consider yourself a Christian and say that Jesus is Lord of your life, I exhort you to carefully study and follow His Word and conform your life to the Scripture and be careful not to attempt to conform Scripture to your way of life. "For the word of God is living and effective and sharper than any double-edged sword, penetrating as far as the separation of soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart." -Hebrews 4:12 CSB " For 'All flesh is like grass, and all its glory like a flower of the grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord endures forever.'(Isaiah 40:6-8) And this word is the gospel that was proclaimed to you." -1 Peter 1:24-25 CSB Stay strong in the Lord my friends and diligently study and apply the Scripture to your life. Soli Deo gloria! -Daniel- Happy New Year from all of us here at Six-Twelve Ministries!
We are excited to see what God has in store for this year. We are excited to enter 2022 standing firm upon the Word of God and we will never waiver from the sufficiency, inerrancy, infallibility and authority of the Bible. Our desire is to shine the light of God's Truth into the world and we will do so to His glory this year. Soli Deo gloria! -Daniel- Hello everyone!
We are excited to announce that we will be releasing a new, free ebook soon! A Biblical Examination of Witchcraft This ebook will tackle the topic of witchcraft and take a biblical look at what witchcraft is and what it teaches. Witchcraft is one of the fastest growing religions in America today and has practitioners all over the world. It can be hard to pin down exactly what witchcraft is and what they practice as there is no systematic set of practices and beliefs nor a structured organization for witchcraft. With this ebook we look at some of the major beliefs and practices that most witches practice and view them in light of what the Bible teaches. Be watching our Facebook feed and our blog here on the site to see when it is released! Here is an excerpt from the book: "...by partaking in astrology, numerology, crystal energy, tarot card reading and others, you are telling God that His revelation that He has given us in the Bible is not enough. Satan and his demons love to give false information through the use of divination methods. If they can keep you focused on methods of divination and make you think that the Bible is inadequate or unnecessary altogether, you will fall further and further into the grasp of Satan. Satan is the father of lies (“You are of your father the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he tells a lie, he speaks from his own nature, because he is a liar and the father of lies.” -John 8:44) and his demons follow in kind and are liars as well. You may get some good and seemingly trustworthy information when you start, but as you grow more and more reliant and interested in the information you receive, you will become blinded to and readily accept as “truth” the lies that start getting fed to you until you believe that lies are the truth and truth is a lie." Soli Deo gloria! -Daniel- I want to address a paranormal topic as it relates to manifestation and being able to see spirits. There is a theory that pets, especially cats and dogs, are more sensitive to the spirit world and can see spirits that we can’t. There are many stories out there about “my pet would stare down the hallway and then I would hear the door close when nobody else was home” or something along those lines. Many paranormal “experts” are quick to say that because animals have much more sensitive senses than us humans, that they are easily and reliably able to pick up on spiritual and paranormal activity. It isn’t uncommon to see a ghost hunting team take a pet dog with them and then wait to see if the dog responds oddly in an area to then validate that there are indeed ghosts there. You’ll find many articles on blogs and paranormal websites that go into elaborate detail on how animals are able to perceive the spirit world. But can they really see spirits and ghosts?
I am going to give my two cents on this particular topic. I believe that demons know that animals, particularly our pets, have different senses from ours that are more sensitive. Knowing this, knowing how attached we are to our pets, knowing how inquisitive our human minds are, and having supernatural abilities, I believe that demons will manifest themselves just enough for a pet to notice something being different and get them to react. This in turn gets our attention and lead us to believe our pet is now interacting with “the beyond” or a dead loved one. And if a demon can use our pets to lead us to believe that a “dead loved one” is still with us, or that ghosts and spirits are real, they know we will most likely start looking for answers in the secular realm and turn our attention from being focused on God. But, knowing that our pets have different senses that are more sensitive than ours, it is also entirely possible that your pet is reacting to a bug or small animal being in a hard-to-access part of your house, or to a creaking sound or to natural sounds that lie just outside our ability to hear, or maybe your pet suddenly just got lost in thought or dozed off staring into space for a minute or two. Hey, that happens to me every once in a while. -Daniel McAdams ©Six-Twelve Ministries 2021 |
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