Last week, we looked at how to respond to five of the Watchtower’s best arguments and proof texts against the deity of Christ as well as the most effective ways to respond to them.

Today, we finish this topic by looking at two more of their points.

  1. No man has seen God (pp. 176-177)

 John 1:18: “No man has seen God at any time; the only-begotten god who is at the Father’s side is the one who has explained Him.” (Watchtower’s translation).

With regard to the term “only-begotten,” you can note that the Greek word monogenes means “unique one,” not “created.”

Jehovah’s Witnesses often cite John 1:18 in order to make the following argument:

  1. No man has seen God at any time.
  2. Many men have seen Jesus Christ.
  3. Therefore, Jesus Christ cannot be God.

In response, show them three Old Testament passages where people did see God—Exodus 24:9-10, Exodus 33:20-23, and Isaiah 6:1. Have them read those passages aloud and ask for their explanation. The common factor of these passages is that although they saw some manifestation of God, they did not see him in his entirety, that is, the entire essence of his being. It is true that no human has seen God’s entire essence, but they have seen Jesus Christ, and he reveals to us what the Father is like (John 14:9). So in no way does John 1:18 disprove the deity of Christ.

 2. The Bible says there are many gods (pp. 177-179)

 In support of its contention that John 1:1 should be translated “and the Word was a god,” (Watchtower’s translation), the Watchtower cites a number of Bible passages that refer to gods. These include the following:

  • Isaiah 9:6 calls Jesus, “Mighty God.” Their point is that Jesus is called “mighty,” not “Almighty.”
  • However, point out that in Isaiah 10:20-21, Jehovah is also identified as “the Mighty God.” As we saw earlier in our examination of Revelation, the Alpha and Omega is the Almighty, and the Alpha and Omega is identified as Jesus.
  • Psalm 82:1 says, “God presides in the great assembly; he gives judgment among the ‘gods’.” Jesus said in John 10:35-36, “If he called them ‘gods,’ to whom the word of God came—and the Scripture cannot be broken—what about the one whom the Father set apart as his very own and sent into the world? Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, ‘I am God’s Son’?”
  • The Watchtower uses these verses to argue that there are many “gods,” so it is proper to call Jesus “a god.” However, Jesus’ point was that during their history the Israelites were quick to embrace false gods but then called him a blasphemer because he rightly called himself the Son of God.`

 In response to the Watchtower’s contention that the Bible recognizes the existence of many gods, point out that 1 Corinthians 8:5-6 distinguishes God the Father and Christ from all these false gods and false lords: “For even though there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth, just as there are many ‘gods’ and many ‘lords,’ there is actually to us one God, the Father, from whom all things are and we for him; and there is one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things are and we through him.” (Watchtower’s translation).

By saying “there is actually to us one God, the Father…,” this passage is not excluding Christ from being God any more than it is excluding the Father from being Lord when it says “there is one Lord, Jesus Christ…” The passage isn’t contrasting the Father and Christ. It is putting the Father and Christ together and distinguishing them from all the other so-called gods and so-called lords.

Isaiah 43:10, the verse from which Jehovah’s Witnesses take their name, Jehovah specifically indicates that neither Jesus nor anyone else is a secondary “god”: “…I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me.”

Isaiah 45:5-6 says: “I am Jehovah, and there is no one else. There is no God except me. I will strengthen you, although you did not know me, In order that people may know from the rising of the sun to its setting that there is none besides me. I am Jehovah, and there is no one else.” (Watchtower’s translation).

Your main point is that these Scriptures make clear that Jehovah is the only true God, and that there are a multitude of false gods (idols and other things that men serve instead of Jehovah). There is no other choice. If Jesus is in any sense God, which the Scriptures are clear that he is, then he is either Jehovah God or he is a false god.

 Conclusion (p. 179)

Although you will try to persuade Jehovah’s Witnesses that the Watchtower is wrong on this important subject, it often takes a great deal of time for them to get past the Watchtower indoctrination. You will have accomplished a lot if you have even caused them to give serious consideration to what you have presented.

If you have done a good job, you may well have shaken the Witnesses’ confidence in their position, whether they acknowledge it or not. Keep praying for them and keep the door open for further conversations.

Study Questions

How would you answer these Watchtower arguments against the deity of Christ? (pp. 171-179)

  • No man has ever seen God, but many men saw Jesus so Jesus can’t be God, (pp. 174-176)
  • Jesus is called “mighty God,” but only his Father, Jehovah, is called “Almighty God.” (p. 177)
  • It is proper to call Jesus “a god” (Watchtower’s rendering of John 1:1) because the Bible says there are many gods. (pp. 177-179)

 

 

 

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