About 50 years after the Mormons came yet another group that denied the Bible's teachings about Jesus. They eventually came up with a different translation of the Bible to support their ideas [The New World Translation]. In this new Bible, Jesus was merely a perfect man, and a person distinct from God the Father.
Yes, they allowed that He was the Son of God, but Son in a subservient way, that is, one who was not equal to God. He was, in their Bible, "a" god but not "the" god. Mighty, but not Almighty.
Furthermore, they came up with the idea that, before His earthly life, Jesus was a spirit creature, namely Michael the archangel, who was created by God and later became the Messiah, at His baptism.
No, friends, Michael the archangel was Michael the archangel, period. There is not one shred of evidence to the contrary.
And the apostle John assures us that it was through Jesus that all things were created! Jesus was co-creator with the Father, not a created being.
John also says that God was the Word. "Word" is another description/name for Jesus.
And this same John records how equal praises are given to the One Who sits on the Throne and to the Lamb.
John was very much into showing the early church Who Jesus is, for in his day, Jesus' Person and Deity were under attack just as they are today.
But God's true witnesses know better. I have listed at the end of this booklet 25 such witnesses who know that Jesus is and was God the Son, as I described earlier. And every one of them wrote a portion of the Holy Bible, the Book that came down to us from the prophets of old and the apostles of old, inspired by the Holy Spirit. There's never been a book like it, nor will there ever be.
7. The Gentle Shepherd
I am so very sorry that the message of Christ has been so complicated by other religions and cults among us. But God has a way of speaking directly to the heart when we cry out to Him. Call on His Name and he will show you Himself through His Spirit. We're not just dependent on a book or a teacher. God Himself will come to hungry hearts!
My personal favorite of the many ways of seeing Jesus in Scripture and my own life, is the picture of the Shepherd.
Many of you are familiar with David's famous Psalm 23 where he calls the Lord his Shepherd. There our God is depicted as one who supplies all our needs, gives us the rest our soul requires, makes us strong in the presence of enemies, even sees us through the valley of death. This Shepherd will take us eventually to the House of the Lord prepared for us in Heaven.
But wait! That's about God, the Father, is it not? Yes, but did you realize that Jesus also called Himself the Shepherd of the sheep? Not just "a" shepherd, but "the" Shepherd. There's no competition between Father and Son, just an eternal Oneness that lets you know that when you have seen one you have seen the other.
I like the powerful Jesus, the Eternal Jesus, but this Shepherd, this personal God and Savior, is the One I need every day. Sheep tend to wander off the path. The Shepherd gently brings them back on track. I need that.
I need someone as gentle and kind as Jesus in my life. It was said of the coming Messiah that He would never even break a "bruised reed" or extinguish "smoking flax." He takes us as we are and patiently makes us into what we ought to be.
This Jesus is the One Who said in Matthew's Gospel,
"Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls."
I have been following this Jesus since I first heard Him call me to Himself as a young boy. I have learned of Him, and I want to share what I have learned with the people of Albany Park. Jesus is still calling people to Himself, teaching them His ways.
Let me know how I can help you. See Contact Information on this site.
BONUS:Read and see for yourself. 25 witnesses of the Lord all agree: Jesus is God!
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