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The Son of God

Questions in this section...

How is Christ begotten but not created?

Why is Jesus called the I AM?

Who led the Israelites into Canaan?

Is Jesus the true God in 1 John 5:20?

Why does Jesus say, "I am the first and the last"?

Why do people worship Jesus?

Is Jesus God?

Is it a sin to pray to Jesus?

Are Jesus and the Father the same Person?

Did Jesus have a beginning?

Are Michael and Jesus the same Person?

Did Christ begin on the first day of creation?

Who appeared to Abraham?

 

Question: How is Christ begotten but not created?

“How do you explain that Jesus was not a created being, yet came after the Father and is God’s literal Son?”

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Answer:

This is an excellent question for it deals with our perception of God’s character and therefore affects our relationship with Him. The Bible clearly proves that Christ was not created. Paul speaks of Christ stating that He “is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him.” (Colossians 1:15, 16) John wrote, “All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.” (John 1:3) Paul wrote, “And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ.” (Ephesians 3:9)

This should be clear enough. The Scriptures testify that God created, through Christ, everything that was ever created and without Christ was not anything created that was created. This proves conclusively that Christ was not created, for it would have been impossible for Christ to create Himself.

The Bible speaks of Christ as “the Son of God,” “the Son of the Father,” “beloved Son,” “dear Son,” “the Son of the living God,” “the only begotten Son of God,” “Son of God most high,” “Son of the Highest,” “Son of the Blessed,” “Son of the most high God,” etc. I have a son, yet I would never claim that I created my son. This would not be accurate. There is a vast difference between something I create and my son.

As an example, I know it is impossible for humans to create life. However let us suppose I had the power to create life. Suppose I could create a cricket. I could put thousands of hours into the finest details of this small insect. The cricket would certainly be valuable to me. I could say I created that cricket. Yet I would value that cricket far less than my son. If I were asked to give up that cricket for the benefit of someone else, it would not be too difficult for me to part with it. That would be a sacrifice, but it would fall very short of equaling the sacrifice that would have to be made if I were asked to give up my own son for the benefit of someone else. If I were to give up my own son that would be a great sacrifice on my part—much more than giving up a created insect.

Certainly you can see the vast difference in giving up something I created, and giving up my own son.

I would like to provide an abundance of Bible evidence showing that Christ really is the Son of God; not an angel, not a created being, but “the only begotten Son” “of the most high God.” (John 3:16; Mark 5:7) Please take the time to examine the following Scripture evidence.

“God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by His Son, whom He hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also He made the worlds; Who being the brightness of His glory, and the express image [“a precise reproduction in every respect”—Thayer’s Greek Lexicon] of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; Being made so much better than the angels, as He hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.” (Hebrews 1:1-4).

The Son of God was appointed by His Father to be heir (“one who receives his allotted possession by right of sonship”—Thayer’s Greek Lexicon) of all things. And He has, by inheritance, obtained an excellent name. According to the Scriptures, Jesus Christ is the literal Son of God.

“For unto which of the angels said He at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to Him a Father, and He shall be to me a Son? And again, when He bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, He saith, And let all the angels of God worship Him But unto the Son He saith, Thy throne, O God [The Father refers to His Son as God], is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom. Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God [The Father, referring to Himself as the God of His Son], hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows… But to which of the angels said He at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool?” (Hebrews 1:5-13).

The Bible speaks of Christ “Who is the image [likeness] of the invisible God, the firstborn [see note below] of every creature.” (Colossians 1:15)

The Greek word that was translated firstborn in this verse means, “born before all creation.” (Wigram’s Greek Lexicon) “Christ is called, firstborn of all creation, who came into being through God prior to the entire universe of created things.” (Thayer’s Greek Lexicon). Jesus Christ is in reality the Son of God who was begotten by His Father before anything was ever created.

“But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall He come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth [origin] have been from of old, from everlasting [Hebrew: the days of eternity].” (Micah 5:2). “Whose origin is from of old, from ancient days.” (Revised Standard Version).

This verse is talking about the Son of God, whose origin (beginning) was long before the beginning of this world; and time as we know it.

The terms Father and Son, by definition, indicate the existence of the one before the other. This was the understanding of the Israelites.

“Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? who hath gathered the wind in His fists? who hath bound the waters in a garment? who hath established all the ends of the earth? what is His name, and what is His son’s name, if thou canst tell?” (Proverbs 30:4).

It does not take a wise man to figure out something that is so plain a child can understand it. Ask your child, “Who is older, you or me?” I am sure he will give you the right answer. There is an abundance of Bible testimony proving that Christ was begotten by His Father prior to coming into this world. Yet I have not seen any proof from the Bible that He was not. [If you would like a more thorough study on this subject please contact us and request the study entitled “The Truth About God.”]

This is an important issue, for it deals with whether Christ is in reality the Son of God or not. John wrote, “Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?” (1 John 5:5) Jesus said, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16) It was God the Father who loved us so much that He willingly allowed His only begotten Son to die for us.

Please examine the following verses carefully. “In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.” (1 John 4:9) The greatest manifestation of God’s love is that He allowed His only begotten Son to die for us. “He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?” (Romans 8:32) By God yielding up that which was most dear to Him, His only begotten Son, He proved that there was nothing in the entire universe that He would not be willing to give up for us. This is the greatest love that anyone could manifest. It is much harder for a father to allow his own child to die than for him to offer up his own life. It was a struggle for the God of the universe to yield up His only begotten Son.

None of the above could be true if Jesus Christ was not in reality the Son of God. If He was a created being, or merely playing a role, acting as if He was the Son of God when in reality He was not, then there would be very little love manifested by the Father in allowing His Son to die. Friends, I am sure you can see that the idea that Jesus Christ is not in reality the Son of God severely distorts our perception of God’s love for us. With a false understanding of God’s love for us, our love for Him is severely hindered, and we will never love God to the extent that He requires of us. “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.” (Matthew 22:37) We can never reach this point with a distorted view of God’s love, for “We love Him because He first loved us.” (1 John 4:19)

My dear friends, please consider this information very carefully for it is vital to our Christian experience. The only way a judge can make a just decision is after viewing and weighing all the evidence. I strongly encourage you to examine all the evidence before making a decision. “He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him.” (Proverbs 18:13)

This question and its answer were printed in the April 2000 issue of Present Truth.

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Question: Why is Jesus called the I AM?

“I am wondering what interpretation you have on the scriptures where Jesus calls himself the ‘I am,’ ‘ego eimi’ in Greek, in Mark 14:62; John 8:28 and John 8:58, a total of three places.”

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Answer:

Let’s read the verses in question. Jesus said, “I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.” (Mark 14:62) “Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things.” (John 8:28) And the most commonly used on this subject is: “Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.” (John 8:58)

Many trinitarians use this as conclusive evidence that Christ is the Most High God because He used the term “I AM” in reference to Himself. Is this the case? The Bible says that Jesus is “the Son of the Highest.” (Luke 1:32) The devils are even aware of this fact. One day a possessed man came up to Jesus and said, “Jesus, thou Son of the most high God?” (Mark 5:7) Jesus is the Son of the Most High God, not the Most High God Himself.

Let’s look at Exodus, the only place that the term “I AM” is used in the Old Testament. Moses saw a strange phenomenon as he beheld a bush burning but not being consumed. The Bible says, “And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him [Moses] in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.” (Exodus 3:2) Who was it that appeared to Moses? “The angel of the LORD.” Who is that? As Moses drew near to the bush the angel of the Lord said, “Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.” (Exodus 3:5). This is quite reminiscent. We read of a similar occurrence with Joshua when he was about to surround Jericho.

“And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries? And he said, Nay; but as captain of the host of the LORD am I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my lord unto his servant? And the captain of the LORD’S host said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy. And Joshua did so.” (Joshua 5:13-15)

Here the Captain of the LORD’s host appeared to Joshua and told him to loose the shoes from off his feet, because the ground where he was standing was holy. We know this was not an ordinary angel, because an angel would not accept worship. John began to worship an angel and the angel said, “See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” (Revelation 19:10) We know that the Captain of the Lord’s host who appeared to Joshua was not God the Father, for “No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.” (John 1:18) The only One left that this could possibly be is Christ.

Christ appeared to Joshua and told him to take the shoes off of his feet, for the ground whereon he stood was holy. Christ is often referred to as “the angel of the Lord.” God told Moses, “Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared. Beware of Him, and obey His voice, provoke Him not; for He will not pardon your transgressions: for my name is in Him.” (Exodus 23:20, 21) We also read, “And the angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them.” (Exodus 14:9) Christ was the one who went before the children of Israel. Paul wrote about Israel that they “did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.” (1 Corinthians 10:4)

So we see that the only time the term “I AM” is used in the Old Testament, it refers to Christ. How then can one say that because He used the same term in the New Testament that He all of a sudden was claiming to be the Most High God? I hope this helps answer your questions.

This question and its answer were printed in the July 2001 issue of Present Truth.

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Question: Who led the Israelites into Canaan?

“Could you please do a study on Exodus chapter 33 on who led the children of Israel into the land of Canaan?”

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Answer:

This is a very good question. In verse 9 of this chapter we read, “And it came to pass, as Moses entered into the tabernacle, the cloudy pillar descended, and stood at the door of the tabernacle, and the LORD talked with Moses.” (Exodus 33:9) Here we read that the LORD talked with Moses out of the cloudy pillar. Let us notice some other verses in the Bible that help us to understand who was in that cloud.

In Exodus chapter 13 we read, “And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night.” (Exodus 13:21) Yet, in the next chapter it says, “And the angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them.” (Exodus 14:19) In one verse it says that “the LORD went before them” and in the other verse it says “the angel of God… went before” them.

This seeming contradiction is clarified in the following verses: God said, “Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared. Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not; for he will not pardon your transgressions: for my name is in him. But if thou shalt indeed obey his voice, and do all that I speak; then I will be an enemy unto thine enemies, and an adversary unto thine adversaries. For mine Angel shall go before thee, and bring thee in unto the Amorites, and the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Canaanites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites: and I will cut them off.” (Exodus 23:20-23) Here we can see that God is speaking of sending His Angel before the Israelites to lead them, and that God’s name is in Him. This must be referring to the Son of God. The term “the angel of the LORD” refers to Christ in Exodus 3:2 and other texts. Please be aware that when the word “angel” is applied to Christ it is not used to describe His nature, for in that respect He is “so much better than the angels.” (Hebrews 1:4) When the word “angel” is applied to Christ it used in the sense of Him being God’s “messenger” as in Malachi 3:1 rather than a description of His physical makeup.

Additional evidence that “the angel of the Lord” who led the children of Israel in the wilderness is not a mere angel is the fact that He received worship. “And all the people saw the cloudy pillar stand at the tabernacle door: and all the people rose up and worshipped, every man in his tent door.” (Exodus 33:10) Literal angels refuse to receive worship. (Revelation 19:10)

The fact that Moses was able to see His face proves that the One in the pillar of fire was Christ rather than His Father, for “no man hath seen, nor can see” the Father. (1 Timothy 6:16) Yet, the One who was in the cloud “spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend.” (Exodus 33:11) Moses said the Egyptians had “heard that thou LORD art among this people, that thou LORD art seen face to face, and that thy cloud standeth over them, and that thou goest before them, by day time in a pillar of a cloud, and in a pillar of fire by night.” (Numbers 14:14) At times in the Old Testament, Christ is referred to as “LORD,” (Yahweh, or Jehovah) which is the sacred name of God. This name, Christ “obtained” from His Father “by inheritance.” (Hebrews 1:4)

From all that we have seen, it is evident that Christ, the Son of God, led the children of Israel into the land of Canaan. The apostle Paul confirmed this conclusion when he wrote, “Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; And did all eat the same spiritual meat;And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.” (1 Corinthians 10:1-4)

I hope this helps to answer your question.

This question and its answer were printed in the April 2002 issue of Present Truth.

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Question: Is Jesus the true God in 1 John 5:20?

“Is 1 John 5:20 saying that Jesus Christ is the true God? How do you explain this?

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Answer:

The verse says, “And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.” (1 John 5:20)

The term “true God” is used three times in the New Testament. It would help us to examine the other two uses in order to get a better understanding.

Paul wrote, “For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God; And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.” (1 Thessalonians 1:9, 10) In this verse it is obvious that the term “true God” is applied to the Father alone. Let us read the remaining verse on this point.

“These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee:… And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” (John 17:1, 3)

This text throws the most light on the subject, because it puts a limitation on the term “true God.” According to Jesus there is only one “true God,” the One He referred to as “Father.” This means that Christ could not be referred to as “the true God,” and if He were it would contradict Christ’s own words recorded by John. Since John is the author of the other text in question it is very unlikely he would have directly contradicted what he wrote earlier.

Furthermore, the Greek word alhqinoV that was translated true “contrasts realities with their semblances.” (Thayer’s Greek Lexicon) The same Greek word is used in Hebrews 8:2, shedding light on this subject. The writer of Hebrews contrasted the sanctuary on earth, which Moses was commanded to build, with the sanctuary in heaven by using the Greek word alhqinoV. Of Christ, he wrote, “A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.” (Hebrews 8:2) The tabernacle on earth was not a false tabernacle, nor was it the original—it was a likeness of the original in heaven spoken of in the book of Revelation and elsewhere. The original tabernacle is distinguished from its likeness by using the word “true.”

With this understanding in mind we realize that Christ is not the original or “true” God—He is “the image of God,” “the image of the invisible God,” “the express image of his person.” (2 Corinthians 4:4; Colossians 1:15; Hebrews 1:3) An image is never the original, but always a likeness or duplication of the original. Christ is the Son of God, and therefore the express image of His Father. It would be incorrect to say that the Father is the image of His Son, because the Father is the original. In like manner it would be incorrect to refer to Christ as the true or original God, since He is the image of the true God.

As we go back to 1 John 5:20 we find that God the Father is the subject of the verse. John says Jesus came to give “us an understanding, that we may know him that is true,” then he says, “This is the true God, and eternal life.” This concept is the same concept brought out in John 17:3. Jesus said, “this is life eternal, that they might knowthe only true God, and Jesus Christ…” (John 17:3)

The Greek grammar of 1 John 5:20 could make the term “true God” apply to either the Father or the Son and, based upon the testimony of Scripture, it must refer to the Father alone. Notice what Robertson has to say about this verse: “Grammatically outoV may refer to Jesus Christ or to ‘the True One.’ It is a bit tautological to refer it to God, but that is probably correct, God in Christ, at any rate.” (Robertson’s New Testament Word Pictures on 1 John 5:20)

There are verses in the Bible that refer to Christ as “God,” but this is not one of them. (See John 1:1; Hebrews 1:8, etc.)

I hope this helps to answer your question.

This question and its answer were printed in the April 2002 issue of Present Truth.

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Question: Why does Jesus say, "I am the first and the last"?

“Why does Jesus say, ‘I am the first and the last,’ in Revelation 1:17, if He is the Son of God the Father? He also said, ‘and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me,’ while He was speaking to the Father in John 17:8.”

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Answer:

This is an excellent question. Let us read the verse. Jesus said, “Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.” (Revelation 1:17, 18) There are some who claim that this text indicates that Christ has always existed, and always will exist, and that therefore He was not truly the “begotten Son” of God in a literal sense. However, to try to fit that theory into this verse we would have to make it contradict all the plain Bible testimony that reveals that Christ is truly the Son of God by being begotten of His Father. Yet, there is nothing in this verse that necessitates that the speaker was not begotten in a literal sense.

There are a number of other possible interpretations of this verse. Jesus said that He is “the first and the last,” but He did not clarify what He was referring to.

Christ could have been referring to Himself as the first and the last literal begotten Son of God. He could have been referring to Himself as the first and the last One to die for another’s sins. He could have been referring to Himself as the first and the last to be resurrected after experiencing the second death. The fact is, we are not told precisely what Jesus was referring to when He called Himself “the first and the last,” but the above interpretations are definite possibilities. It is true that God the Father applied this term to Himself in the Old Testament, yet, just as other terms apply to the Father differently from the Son, this term also has a different application for the Father than for His Son.

The word “Saviour” is applied most often to the Son of God, but at times it applies to the Father. “For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour.” (1 Timothy 2:3; See also 1 Timothy 1:1; Luke 1:47; Titus 1:3; 3:4; Jude 25) It is evident that the term “Saviour” is used in a different sense when applied to the Father than when it applies to the Son. God is our Saviour because He sent His Son to die for us. Christ is our Saviour because He died for our sins. (See 1 John 4:14; 2 Peter 1:11, etc.)

When seeking to find a proper interpretation of a Bible verse, we must take into consideration all the other verses on that subject, and come to a conclusion that is in harmony with the entire Bible. Christ is “the first and the last,” yet He was begotten of His Father according to the Scriptures. These two truths must harmonize with each other.

I hope this helps to answer your question.

This question and its answer were printed in the May 2002 issue of Present Truth.

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Question: Why do people worship Jesus?

“Why do people worship Jesus in the Scripture? If it is only because God was in Him, then what is the difference between God in Him and God in us that sets Him apart? Is it because Christ is the direct revelation, but we reveal God indirectly? Yet if this is the reason, then why did they just not worship towards the Father who was in heaven, seeing that Jesus was only His image? This last question is the main point that I hope God will clarify, in Jesus’ name.”

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Answer:

There are many things that set Jesus Christ apart from us, which render Him worthy of worship. Jesus Christ is the only being in the universe who was actually begotten by God the Father. He is “the only begotten Son of God.” (John 3:18) He is also referred to as God’s “holy child.” (Acts 4:27, 30) These statements about Christ are independent of His incarnation, for “God sent his only begotten Son into the world.” (1 John 4:9) Jesus Christ did not become the Son of God by the process of being sent; He was God’s Son long before He came into the world.

Children are, to a more or less degree, a reproduction of their parents. By nature, a child inherits the nature, certain character traits, the form, the appearance, etc., from its parents. There is no exact reproduction among men because of our imperfections but, with God there are no imperfections. Christ is “the express image of his [Father’s] person.” (Hebrews 1:3) Christ is a perfect representation of His Father. He inherited His Father’s nature, character, form, and appearance, as well as an exalted position. The Father appointed His Son to be the “heir of all things.” (Hebrews 1:2) All things that Christ has, He received from His Father.

By nature God is much more exalted than men. A human is of a higher order of being than a flea, a dog, or any other animal. Yet, the Bible says that man was created “a little lower than the angels.” (Hebrews 2:7) Angels are a higher order of being than man, yet they are still infinitely lower than God Himself. God is the highest order of being there is. As His Son, Christ is on the same level with God, by the rule of kinship. Just as a human always begets another human of the same nature, and a sheep always begets a sheep after its kind, so God’s Son is of the very same nature as God, His Father. Therefore, there is an infinite difference between Him and us just based upon His nature alone. Yet, beyond that, God the Father has highly exalted His Son.

In Philippians chapter 2 we read a description of the exalted nature of Christ. Paul wrote,

“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:5-11)

These texts show Christ’s exalted, divine nature, before the incarnation, as “being in the form of God.” This could not be said of any man or angel. These texts also show that God, the Father, highly exalted His Son and gave Him a name above every name. Jesus said, “For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.” (John 5:22, 23)

Not only is Christ much higher than men by nature, God, the Father, has “highly exalted Him” and “hath given all things into his hand.” (John 3:35) The Bible emphasizes that “By him were all things created.” (Colossians 1:16) God, the Father, commanded the angels to worship Him. (Hebrews 1:6) For all these reasons, and surely many more that have not been mentioned, Christ is worthy of worship. There is no man, regardless of how fully God is in him, of whom these things could be said. Christ is “the express image” of God, and He is worthy of worship.

I hope this helps to answer your question.

This question and its answer were printed in the December 2002 issue of Present Truth.

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Question: Is Jesus God?

“Is Jesus God?”

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Answer:

This question requires a definition of the word “God.” If the word “God” is taken to mean, “the supreme ruler of the universe, the Most High God,” then the answer to your question would have to be no, because the Bible recognizes only one person with these titles, and Jesus said Himself that His Father is “the only true [original] God.” (John 17:3)

The word “god” has several different meanings. In a very limited sense, men are called god. Both the Greek word theos and the Hebrew word elohim, which are most often translated “god,” are used in reference to men. (See Exodus 7:1; Psalm 82:6; John 10:34) When the word “god” is used in that sense, then there are hundreds and thousands of gods.

In a less limited sense, angels are called gods. David wrote about man, “For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels.” (Psalms 8:5) The word “angels” in this verse comes from the Hebrew word elohim. The way elohim is used here it denotes a type of being that is higher than man, but it is still used in a limited sense, and with this definition there would still be many gods.

In reference to Christ, elohim and theos are used in a much less limited sense, to denote His nature as being on the same level as His Father—something that cannot be said about any other being in the universe. The Bible says that Christ was “in the form of God.” (Philippians 2:6)

But even when the word “God” is used of Christ, it is used in a limited sense, because Christ has a God who is “the head of Christ,” “above all,” and “greater than” He. (See 1 Corinthians 11:3; Ephesians 4:6; and John 14:28.) When the word “God” is used in its absolute and unlimited sense, there is only one Person to whom it can apply, and that is God, the Father, alone. Jesus said that His Father is “the only true God.” (John 17:3) Paul said, “there is none other God but one… God, the Father.” (1 Corinthians 8:4, 6) Of the 1354 times the word “God” is used in the New Testament, more than 99% of the time it refers exclusively to God the Father, while it only applies to His Son a very few times?

So to clarify, there are many gods when the word “God” is used in a limited sense, to include men and angels. When “God” is used as an adjective to describe the nature of God, then there are only two divine beings, God, the Father and Jesus Christ, His only begotten Son. When the word “God” is used in this sense, then yes, Jesus is God. The Son of God is completely divine by nature because His Father is divine, just as I am completely human because my parents are human.

When the word “God” is used in its absolute sense, to denote “the most High God,” “the Sovereign of the universe,” or “the only true God,” then there is only one God, the Father, beside which there is no God.

Some people think that God is beyond the possibility of having a Son, but Jesus said, “with God all things are possible.” (Mark 10:27) Let’s not limit God. If God would have a thousand begotten Sons it would not detract in the least from the fact that He is “the only true God,” the “one God” of the Bible.

I hope this helps to answer your question.

This question and its answer were printed in the December 2002 issue of Present Truth.

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Question: Is it a sin to pray to Jesus?

“Is it a sin to pray to Jesus?”

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Answer:

No! Stephen addressed Christ directly when he said, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” (Acts 7:59) Yet, this is not the normal procedure for prayer in the Bible. Jesus said we should pray to the Father and make requests in the name of Jesus. (Matthew 6:9; John 14:13)

This question and its answer were printed in the December 2002 issue of Present Truth.

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Question: Are Jesus and the Father the same Person?

“According to the tracts, I found out that Jesus Christ is distinct from God. But from the little I have read, God in the Old Testament days was God the Father but in the New Testament He came as God the Son. Is He not the same God the Father as can be seen in Philippians 2:5-7, that He put down His glory and came as man?”

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Answer:

Certainly not! The Bible is very clear that the Father and His Son are two distinct individuals. The Father sent. The Son was sent. (1 John 4:14) The Father gave power and authority. The Son received power and authority. (Matthew 28:18; John 5:27) The Father gave His Son a work to do. The Son finished the work that the Father gave Him. (John 17:4) The Father gave a commandment. The Son obeyed the commandment. (John 12:49) The Father anointed the Son. The Son was anointed. (Luke 4:18) The Father highly exalted His Son. The Son was highly exalted. (Philippians 2:9) The Father gave a name. The Son received a name. (Hebrews 1:4) The Father is the head of Christ. The Son will always be subject to His Father. (1 Corinthians 11:3; 15:24-28) The Father gave life. The Son received life. (John 5:26) The Father is the most High God. The Son is the Son of the Most High God. (Mark 5:7) The Father is the God of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Son worships the Father. (Ephesians 1:17; John 4:22)

The verses you mentioned that supposedly prove the Father and the Son are the same person do nothing of the kind. In fact, these verses prove that the Father and the Son are separate individuals. Let’s read them.

Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name. (Philippians 2:5-9)

In verse six we read that the Son thought it not robbery to be equal with God. Now it is not possible to be equal with yourself. This indicates that the God whom Christ “thought it not robbery to be equal” with, must be someone other than Himself. In verse nine we read that God highly exalted Christ and gave Him a name. It would make God out to be extremely selfish to think that He exalted Himself and gave Himself a lofty name.

Many times, even in the Old Testament, we read about both the Father and His Son. For example:

Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? who hath gathered the wind in his fists? who hath bound the waters in a garment? who hath established all the ends of the earth? what is his name, and what is his son’s name, if thou canst tell? (Proverbs 30:4)

When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water. Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth: While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world. When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth: When he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of the deep: When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth: Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him. (Proverbs 8:24-30)

I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. (Psalms 2:7)

The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool. (Psalms 110:1)

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. (Isaiah 53:6)

These are just a few of the many places where the Father and the Son are spoken of separately. The biggest danger in supposing that the Father and the Son are the same person is that it would deny the sonship and the death of Christ, which would severely limit our understanding of God’s love. God’s love was demonstrated by His great sacrifice in giving His only begotten Son to die for our sins. Anything that limits or distorts our perception of God’s love should be recognized as an invention of Satan to destroy God’s people, and it should be avoided like the plague.

I hope this helps to answer your question.

This question and its answer were printed in the December 2002 issue of Present Truth.

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Question: Did Jesus have a beginning?

“Did Jesus have a beginning (please let’s not get into the semantics of created versus begotten, either He had a beginning or He didn’t — that’s the question).”

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Answer:

Yes, Jesus had a beginning. The Bible says His “origin” is from the “days of eternity.” (Micah 5:2 RSV and margin)

I am quite appalled that people would conclude that distinguishing between “created” and “begotten” is a matter of semantics. That is as far from the truth as light is from darkness. The Bible defines creation as being made out of nothing by the Word of God. “Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.” (Hebrews 11:3) God “spake and it was.” (Psalm 33:9) Not so with Christ, He said that He “came out from God,” “the only begotten Son of God.” (John 16:27; 3:18) Christ was begotten by His Father as the “express image of his person,” thus making Him of the same nature as His Father. If Christ had been merely a creature, then there would be very little sacrifice on the part of God, the Father, in giving up His only begotten Son to die for our sins, because all He would have given is a creature. The difference between created and begotten would be similar to the difference between me giving up my own son, and me giving up something that I created such as a table or a chair or, perhaps, if I could create life, a cricket. Satan would love the world to believe that there is no difference between created and begotten so that he can successfully hide God’s love from the world.

There is a vast difference between begotten and created. In history this was the difference between the Arians and the Semi-Arians. The Arians believed that Christ was created, while the Semi-Arians believed that Christ was begotten.

This question and its answer were printed in the December 2002 issue of Present Truth.

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Question: Are Michael and Jesus the same Person?

“I’ve been reading over the Present Truth issues but I have not been able to find one that explains the relationship between Michael and Jesus. Does Present Truth believe Michael the Archangel and Jesus are the same Person?

“If you believe this could you explain how you came to this understanding?

“If you don’t believe this could you explain how you came to this understanding?”

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Answer:

Yes, we understand that Michael is a name of Jesus Christ. Many people get confused by the term archangel. They think that it refers to a high ranking angel, when in reality it means the ruler of the angels. The Greek word arcaggeloV (archangel) is a compound word made up of arcw (to rule over or reign over) and aggeloV (angels). Notice how arcw is used by Paul, when he wrote, “Esaias saith, There shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign over (arcw) the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles trust.” (Romans 15:12) The archangel is not an angel, but the ruler of the angels, Jesus Christ Himself.

The ruler of the angels appeared to Joshua outside of Jericho. Joshua asked Him who He was, and He responded, “As captain of the host of the LORD am I now come.” (Joshua 5:14) The verse continues, “And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship.” Every time in the Bible when a man fell down to worship one of God’s angels or his people, he was commanded to stop. (See Revelation 19:10; Acts 10:25, 26; 14:11-15.) Yet, when Joshua fell down to worship the ruler of the angels, he was not forbidden, but rather encouraged. “And the captain of the LORD’s host said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy. And Joshua did so.” (Joshua 5:15) This proves, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that the ruler of the angels is Jesus Christ, for He alone, could be called “the captain of the LORD’s host” and also receive worship.

It is also significant that the Bible only speaks of one archangel. Some people suppose there are several, but the Bible only speaks of one, and He is always called Michael. The name Michael means, “who is like God,” a name which could not refer to a created angel, but to the only One who is “the express image” of “the invisible God.” (Hebrews 1:3; Colossians 1:15)

Practically every time Michael, the archangel, is referred to, He is spoken of in language that could only refer to Jesus Christ. Let us notice a few examples.

Revelation 12:7-9

“And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.” Michael is spoken of here as the ruler of the angels, fighting against Satan. Jesus Christ has always been foremost in the fight against Satan. He is the promised seed of the woman, who came to bruise Satan’s head. He is the one who “led captivity captive,” and has “the keys of hell and of death.” (Ephesians 4:8; Revelation 1:18) He is the “captain of the host of the LORD,” who appeared to Joshua. (Joshua 5:14, 15)

Jude 1:9

“Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.” Here Michael is said to be directly involved in the resurrection of Moses, and we know that Christ is “the resurrection and the life.” (John 11:25) Also, the statement Michael makes to Satan is the very same statement Jesus Christ made to Satan when contending with him about the high priest Joshua. “And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD [Jesus Christ: See Exodus 3:2-4; 23:20, 21.], and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him. And the LORD said unto Satan, The LORD rebuke thee, O Satan; even the LORD that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire?” (Zechariah 3:1, 2)

1 Thessalonians 4:16

“For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first.” At the voice of the archangel, the dead in Christ shall rise. Jesus said, “The dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.” (John 5:25; See also verses 28, 29)

Daniel 12:1, 2

“And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book. And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.” Here it says that Michael is the great prince that stands for the children of God. The Bible says that there is only “one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” (1 Timothy 2:5) In addition to that, He is called the great prince. Jesus Christ is “the Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6)

Some people think that Michael is just one among many princes of equal rank, because of Gabriel’s testimony in Daniel 10:13: “But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia.” Yet, a literal translation of this text says, “Michael, first of the chief heads.” (Young’s Literal Translation) Michael is said to be ruler and leader of God’s angels. (Revelation 12:7) Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, is the first in rank next to God Himself (1 Corinthians 11:3); “the head of all principality and power.” (Colossians 2:10)

Yes, based on the testimony of Scripture, Michael and Jesus Christ are the same person. Jesus Christ is the archangel, the ruler of the angels. He is not an angel by nature, but rather the divine Son of God who rules over the angels. Some people think that to affirm Michael and Jesus to be the same person somehow lowers Christ to the level of angelic beings, but that is not the case at all, rather it shows His rightful position as greater than, and ruler over, the angels of God.

Some think that it is a peculiar teaching originated by Jehovah’s Witnesses, who arose in the latter part of the nineteenth century, but it existed long before that time. Many Bible scholars down through the ages have come to the same conclusion.

“Michael the archangel, &c. By whom is meant, not a created angel, but an eternal one, the Lord Jesus Christ; as appears from his name Michael, which signifies, “who is as God”: and who is as God, or like unto him, but the Son of God, who is equal with God?” (John Gill’s Expositor on Jude 1:9, printed in 1809)

“The archangel, head or ruler of the angels, sometimes denotes Christ being the God-Man (1 Thess. 4:16 [cf. John 5:25-27]; Jude 1:9 [cf. Zech. 3:2]).”] (Zodhiates’ Complete Word Study Dictionary New Testament, definition for archangel, page 260)

I hope this helps to answer your question.

This question and its answer were printed in the March 2004 issue of Present Truth.

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Question: Did Christ begin on the first day of creation?

“I was comparing Genesis 1:3, 4 to Genesis 1:14-19 and had to ask myself why did God create light on the earth twice? Then I remembered that Jesus said he was the light of the world (John 8:12) and Christ was the firstborn of all creation (Colossians 1:15). So do non-Trinitarians believe Jesus first comes onto the scene at Genesis 1:3, 4?”

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Answer:

Thank you very much for your question. Christ was “the firstborn of all creation,” which could also be rendered, “born before all creation.” (The New Englishman’s Greek Concordance and Lexicon, by Wigram and Green) The latter seems much more reasonable since the next verse says, “For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him.” (Colossians 1:16) This verse (along with others, such as John 1:1-3; Hebrews 1:2 and Ephesians 3:9) places Christ before all things created, thus eliminating any possibility that Christ Himself was created.

These texts also show that Christ existed before the time spoken of in Genesis 1:1, which says, “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” Through Solomon, Jesus declared, “When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth: When he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of the deep: When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth: Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him.” (Proverbs 8:27-30)

So, in answer to your question, the Bible declares that Christ did not “first come onto the scene at Genesis 1:3, 4.” I cannot speak for all non-Trinitarians (for there are many different shades), but I can assure you that the Bible does not support the idea that Christ began His existence on the first day of creation, for He pre-existed “all things created.” (Colossians 1:16)

I hope this helps to answer your question.

This question and its answer were printed in the September 2004 issue of Present Truth.

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Question: Who appeared to Abraham?

“I have a question. Who was the LORD (Yahweh) that appeared to Abraham in Genesis 18? Some say Jesus, since no man can see God the Father, so affirming Jesus as Yahweh, too. Looking forward for your response.”

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Answer:

The Bible says, “And the LORD [Yahweh] appeared unto [Abraham] in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day; And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground.” (Genesis 18:1, 2) The remaining portion of the chapter details the conversation that took place between the LORD and Abraham. In verse 22 it says, “And the men [the two angels with the LORD] turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the LORD.”

The account of Abraham’s visitors in Genesis 18 indicates that the LORD (Yahweh) Himself appeared physically to Abraham, and carried on a conversation with him. As you noted, this could not have been God, the Father, for “No man hath seen God at any time.” (John 1:18 & 1 John 4:12) And Paul wrote about the Father, stating that He is the One “Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see.” (1 Timothy 6:16)

The only conclusion I can come to is that someone other than the Father appeared to Abraham—someone who also has the name Yahweh. Moses was informed of a Person who has the Father’s name in Him. God said to Moses, “Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared. Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not; for he will not pardon your transgressions: for my name is in him.” (Exodus 23:20) This was no ordinary angel, for He is said to have the power to “pardon your transgressions,” and God put His own name in Him. The Bible says, “And the angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them.” (Exodus 14:19) Paul explained that the Israelites “did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.” The “angel of God” who went before the children of Israel was none other than Jesus Christ Himself.

Please do not get confused by the fact that Jesus Christ is called an angel. The Hebrew word dalm (mal-awk) that was translated Angel, literally means, a “messenger” or a “representative.” (Brown-Driver and Brigg’s Hebrew Lexicon) This word is used of men, literal angels, and of Jesus Christ Himself, all of whom are messengers or representatives of God. Jesus is called the “messenger [angel] of the covenant.” (Malachi 3:1) So, Jesus Christ can rightfully be called the Angel of the LORD, even though He is not a literal angelic being. As we have seen, the Angel of the LORD has the name of Yahweh in Him, which only makes sense, because He is God’s own Son, who “hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than” the angels. (Hebrews 1:4) Children inherit the name of their father. Even so, Jesus Christ inherited His Father’s name, and is called Yahweh several times in the Bible. 

The name Yahweh literally means, “the existing one,” (Ibid) or “self existent.” (Strong’s Hebrew Lexicon) Jesus said, “As the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself.” (John 5:26) God, the Father, gave to His Son the ability to have “life in himself,” or “self existence.” Therefore, the definition of the name Yahweh can be applied to God’s Son because His Father gave Him the ability to self exist.

I hope this helps to answer your question.

This question and its answer were printed in the February 2005 issue of Present Truth.

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