Of course I'm in no position to argue any of this, nor would I care to
LOL...but it doesn't stop you posting rubbish like that from Metzger.
Who is he to critique our translation, when the Churches he represents, demonstrate complete bias towards their own interpretation of scripture and skew everything towards their trinity. He speaks of the fundamental errors of Jehovah's Witnesses like he would know an error if it jumped up and bit him. He is indoctrinated with Christendom's views, which makes his opinion null and void IMO.He is as biased in his views as he believes we are.
Lets take his statements apart and really analyze what he is saying......lets critique the critique...
"It is proposed, rather, to give consideration to one of the fundamental errors of the Jehovah’s Witnesses, namely, that which concerns the person of Jesus Christ. Today as of old, a proper response to the primary question, “What think ye of Christ? Whose son is he?” (Matt. 22:42), constitutes a veritable touchstone of historic Christianity. Certain other aberrations in Biblical understanding may doubtless be tolerated if one is, so to speak, turned in the right direction with regard to Christology. But if a sect’s basic orientation toward Jesus Christ be erroneous, it must be seriously doubted whether the name “Christian” can rightly be applied to such a system. (It will be observed that no judgment is here passed upon individual adherents to such a system, some of whom may be better than they have a right to be on the basis of their professed denial of central Biblical truths.)"
So lets turn the tables here.....what if Christendom's version of who Christ is, is in error? What if it is they who are denying central Biblical truths? Then can the name "Christian" be rightly applied to them? Who says Christendom is correct in her understanding of what Christ taught? Jesus and his apostles foretold that an apostasy which was already "at work" before the apostles died would surface internally. (Acts 20:29-30; 2 Peter 2:1-3) Their restraining influence kept it at bay (2 Thessalonians 2:6-7) until the last of the Christian scriptures were penned....then there was nothing to stop the "weeds" from taking over. (Matthew 13:24-30; 36-42)
What in the history of the early church is proof that this apostasy took place just as it was prophesied? One only has to look at Roman Catholicism to see that the rot set in in the early centuries....the most unchristian behaviors were seen when corrupt men appointed by other corrupt men, abused their power, hunting down supposed heretics. They then tortured them to force confession and murdered anyone who dared to question their beliefs or practices. The tyranny of those times lasted for 1500 years.....until a Catholic scholar named Martin Luther challenged the church over a list of things that he considered needed the urgent attention of the church hierarchy. Bible study, prayer, and meditation helped him to gain a better understanding of how God views sinners......Luther recognized that God’s favor cannot be earned. Rather, it is granted through undeserved kindness to those exercising faith. (Romans 1:16; 3:23, 24, 28)
It was then widely believed that after death, sinners had to undergo punishment for a period of time. However, it was said that this time could be shortened by indulgences granted on the pope’s authority in exchange for money. This led to a booming trade selling indulgences to the common people. Many viewed indulgences as a sort of insurance against future sins, buying their way out of punishment. Luther was indignant about the sale of indulgences. He knew that men cannot bargain with God for money. In the autumn of 1517, he wrote his famous 95 theses, accusing the church of financial, doctrinal, and religious abuse. Wanting to encourage a reform, not a rebellion, Luther sent copies of his theses to Archbishop Albert of Mainz and to several scholars. Many historians point to 1517 or thereabouts as the birth of the Reformation.
But did the Reformation bring "Christianity" back to the church? Did it unify the beliefs of the people? Unfortunately, some very ingrained dogma had crept into the psyche of the church reformers.....immortality of the human soul.....a hell of eternal torment and the triune nature of God. ...these the reformers brought with them into the Protestant movement, contaminating Christianity even more as men sought to establish their own 'brands' of it....sectarianism ran amok and today there are literally thousands of sects all claiming to be Christians, yet holding different beliefs. But the one thing you will notice is that despite their differences, they all hold that core of Catholic dogma in common.
"According to the Jehovah’s Witnesses, Christ before his earthly life was a spirit-creature named Michael, the first of God’s creation, through whom God made the other created things. As a consequence of his birth on earth, which was not an incarnation, Jesus became a perfect human being, the equal of Adam prior to the Fall. In his death Jesus’ human nature, being sacrificed, was annihilated. As a reward for his sacrificial obedience God gave him a divine, spirit nature. Throughout his existence, therefore, Jesus Christ never was co-equal with God. He is not eternal, for there was a time when he was not. While he was on earth he was nothing more than a man, and therefore the atoning effect of his death can have no more significance than that of a perfect human being. Throughout there is an ill-concealed discontinuity between the pre-existent spirit creature, the earthly man Jesus, and the present spirit existence of Christ Jesus."
According to the Bible, Jesus is a creation of his God and Father. The apostle Paul confirms this in Colossians 1:13-15. Jesus also confirmed it in his Revelation to John. (Revelation 3:14) Nowhere in scripture did Jesus ever claim equality with his God but the Bible does say that he came to represent his Father as a "mediator between God and men".
To say that we believe that he was "nothing more than a man" is nonsense. He came from heaven to become a human in order to give his life to pay for the sins of Adam's children. That makes him way more than any human could ever be in this world. The law of God demanded equivalency..."an eye for an eye...tooth for a tooth....life for a life" So in order to atone for the perfect sinless life that Adam lost for his children, Jesus had to be born as a kinsman of Abraham's offspring. Being born to Mary gave him that status. Having God produce his human life made him sinless. The heavenly life of the pre-human Jesus was interrupted for a short time by his earthly sojourn, but his death accomplished what he was sent to do and his resurrection returned him to heaven with added bonuses for his faithful course. In heaven the God of Jesus is still his Father. (Revelation 3:12)
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