Seriously...this is the best argument you have?
How terribly controversial djh. Faith altering stuff this.
I am sure we'll never be saved unless we are fully convinced that Jesus is the Christ.
Does it not stand to reason that if Jesus chose the 12, that they were all pretty sure about who he was? Don't you think the miracles would have clinched it?
Controversial? This is just another play on words from the WT to push their deception. Maybe the 11 Apostles were convinced, but not, "the disciples of Jesus", Jesus had many disciples.
*** bh chap. 4 p. 39 par. 5 Who Is Jesus Christ? ***
5 In the first century C.E.,
the disciples of Jesus of Nazareth were fully convinced that he was the foretold Messiah. (John 1:41)
I'm sure, only a JW reading that sentence would think, "the 12 disciples of Jesus were fully convinced". When I read that sentence, and then read the Bible account of it, I can see the
subtle deception in it. But a JW won't see it.
Jn 6:65-66 (ESVST) 65 And he said, "This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father." 66 After this
many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him.
Luke 1:13-15 (ESVST) 13 But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. 14 And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, 15 for he will be great before the Lord. And he must not drink wine or strong drink, and
he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb.
John was born for the purpose of preparing the way for Jesus. He spent his whole life in the desert, preparing for Jesus' day. He was filled with the Holy Spirit from birth. He knew the sign that was to show Who Jesus was, he knew Who Jesus was.
Jn 1:29 (ESVST) 29 The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, " Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
Was he "fully convinced" Jesus was the foretold Messiah? No.
Luk 7:18-19 (ESVST) 18 The disciples of John reported all these things to him. And John, 19 calling two of his disciples to him, sent them to the Lord, saying, "
Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?"
Were the 11 "fully convinced" who He was? No.
Mar 4:39-41 (ESVST) 39 And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, " Peace! Be still!" And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. 40 He said to them, " Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?" 41 And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, "
Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?"
This is the kind of "subtle" deception all throughout WT teaching. JW's just can't see it. This in itself is menial, but you combine all the deception by the WT, and it is very powerful!