Response to a Jehovah's Witness, Part 1

Edward,

Thanks for commenting on my post. Since you posted it to the public I'm sure you won't mind me posting back in public- much learning for all and not just the two of us, right? Anyway, for all, here is what Edward said,

• "What's your point? Jesus said, as recorded in John 3:16, that God gave his only begotten son. That is simple. He was God's only begotten son prior to his coming to earth. Jesus was the first thing that Jehovah God created. Jesus can not be Jehovah if salvation is to occur."

I would think that my purpose was quite clear...to refute the notion that John 3:16 is a refutation of the deity of Christ and that it teaches that He is a created being. I think you missed my point...take a look at the Lexicons...the word monogenes does not imply procreation...the word literally means "one of a kind/class"...or "unique."

The Son of God was truly unique and in a class all by Himself. Of course, I don't take my theology from a single verse as that's dangerous and leads to heresy. You assume a "son" has to have a beginning because that's our experience as human beings...but does that have to remain true with God?

My first thought is that you missed my point that the word doesn't mean physical procreation...it means literally "one of a kind." All the verses that use this word and refer to humans in the NT, and not the Lord Jesus Christ, (see Luke 7:12; 8:42; 9:38 and Heb 11:17) emphasize that they were one of a kind- the only/unique children. Of course, since they were only humans they had a beginning. The other verses that refer to the Lord Jesus Christ you as presupposing that He too must have had a beginning at one point in the past...and that He's not divine.

Hebrews 11:17 makes this point very, very clearly; Hebrews 11:17-18- "By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, 18 Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called"

Obviously Isaac was not his only son, right? Hadn't Abraham already had a child called Ishmael? Obviously. The Bible uses the word "monogenes" to show that Ishmael was Abraham's unique, one-of-a-kind son. He was unique in that He was (as seen in verse 18) the impossible child produced of a womb that was barren (Sarah was too old to have kids!)...and he was the preserved Seedline of Christ. The KJV rendering does not get to the clear meaning of the word in this case. Isaac was NOT his only procreated child...he was the unique son that God had given him.

Couple questions for you...and if you really care to get your point across about the fact that only the Watchtower has the truth, you'll take the time to answer and set forth what you believe and why.

Who is referred to in this passage? Revelation 1:8- "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty."

Who is the "Alpha and Omega, beginning and the end"? This person says he is the Lord and is the Almighty, right? This is Jehovah, right?

Looking forward to your reply!