Personal note from Jean:  “If you are JW connected you know how much they use the word “truth.”  When speaking to another JW we might ask, “How long have you been in the truth?”  They would know we’re asking how long they’ve been a JW because they believe they are “in the truth” when they become a baptized JW.  When someone leaves the group we would say, “They’ve left the truth – how sad!”  That’s because we believed if they left, they parted from the “truth” and if they never return, there’s no hope for eternal life for them.  My life changed when I came to know Jesus is the Truth and it’s only through Him plus nothing else we gain eternal life!!!!!

 

Are You “in the Truth?”

 

 

What did Jesus say?

 

“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (Jo 14:6 NIV).

 

Jesus will guide us into all Truth

 

 “ But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come (Jo 16:13) NIV.

 

God’s word is truth

 

“Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth” (John 17:17).

 

Should anyone change it?

 

“And if anyone takes words away from this scroll of prophecy, God will take away from that person any share in the tree of life and in the Holy City, which are described in this scroll (Rev. 22:19 NIV).

 

God’s word is truth and must be handled correctly

 

 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth”  (2 Tim 2:15 NIV).

 

Knowing Jesus, the Real Truth, brings freedom

 

 “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (Jo 8:32).

 

Jesus is the TRUTH – therefore it’s important to know WHO HE is!

 

Jesus asked Peter a very important question: “But what about you, ‘Who do you say I am?’  Simon Peter answered, ‘You are the Christ the Son of the living God” (Matt. 16:15-16).

 

 

Is Jesus Michael the Archangel? 

 

Who does the Watchtower Society say He is?

 

Copied from Reasoning from the Scriptures – WT publication:

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“Is Jesus Christ the same person as Michael 'the archangel?        

The name of this Michael appears only five times in the Bible. The glorious spirit person who bears the name is referred to as "one of the chief princes," "the great prince who has charge of your [Daniel's] people," and as "the archangel." (Dan. 10:13; 12:1; Jude 9, RS) Michael means "Who Is Like God?" The name evidently designates Michael as the one who takes the lead in upholding Jehovah's sover­eignty and destroying God's enemies.

At 1 Thessalonians 4:16 (RS), the command of Jesus Christ for the resurrection to begin is described as "the archangel's call," and Jude 9 says that the archangel is Michael. Would it be appropriate to liken Jesus' commanding call to that of someone lesser in authority?  Reasonably, then, the archangel Michael is Jesus Christ. (Interestingly, the expression "archangel" Is never found in the plural in the Scriptures, thus implying that there is only one.)”  (End of quote)

 

Look up the verses above – does any one of them say Jesus IS Michael?  So the WT has interpreted these verses through their reasoning – is this correct? Do you think an angel can save people from their sins?

 

Jesus could not be Michael the archangel:

 

“So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs. For to which of the angels did God ever say, ‘You are my Son; today I have become your Father?’ Or again,‘ I will be his Father, and he will be my Son?’ And again, when God brings his firstborn into the world, he says, ‘Let all God’s angels worship him.’ In speaking of the angels he says, ‘He makes his angels winds, his servants flames of fire.’ But about the Son he says, ‘Your throne, O God, will last forever and ever, and righteousness will be the scepter of your kingdom” ( Heb. 1:4-8).

 

“If someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough.”   (2 Cor. 11:4)  (In other words – they were putting up with it, when they shouldn’t – underline bold is ours)

 

If Jesus is not Michael – and if you believe Michael is Jesus – do you have “a different Jesus?”

 

Who taught a “different Jesus” in the days of the apostles?

 

 

• GNOSTICISM  {Introduction to I John, NIV Study Bible}:

1.“Christ’s true humanity was denied in two ways: (1) Some said that Christ only seemed to have a body, a view called Docetism, from the Greek dokeo (“to seem”), and (2) others said that the divine Christ joined the man Jesus at baptism and left him before he died, a view called Cerinthianism, after its most prominent spokesman, Cerinthus. This view is the background of much of I John (see 1:1; 2:22; 4:2-3).”  

 

• Occasion and Purpose  {Introduction to 2 John, NIV Study Bible}:

“During the first two centuries the gospel was taken from place to place by traveling evangelists and teachers.  Believers customarily took these missionaries into their homes and gave them provisions for their journey when they left.  Since Gnostic teachers also relied on this practice, 2 John was written to urge discernment in supporting traveling teachers; otherwise, someone might unintentionally contribute to the propagation of heresy rather than truth.”

 

“Many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh, have gone out into the world. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist. Watch out that you do not lose what you have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully.  Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God, whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son.  If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take him into your house or welcome him.  Anyone who welcomes him shares in his wicked work.”  (2 John 7-11)  Jesus was the Christ at birth (Luke 2:11) .

 

• When we acknowledge Jesus Christ has coming in the flesh and receive Him – we become children of God: John 1:12

 

• When we recognize Him as the Son of the living God, we have the Truth (Jesus) dwelling within - Take the test:  2 Cor. 13:5 (see WT Bible inter.)

 

• Knowing we have the Truth (Jesus) is knowing God and the Son and we have eternal life: Jo 17:3 ; John 3:16

 

 

What does the word “believe” mean in John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

  

In context of this verse, THAYER’S GREEK LEXICON says: “Used especially of the faith by which a man embraces Jesus – a conviction full of joyful trust that Jesus is the Messiah, divinely appointed author of eternal salvation in the Kingdom of God, conjoined with obedience to Christ, rest our faith relationship of Christ with God and close ethical intimacy with him...that therefore not a single thing can happen, not even a sparrow can fall which does not, in the final analysis, serve our best eternal interests.”

 

• “ Believing” that Jesus is the Son of God,  has a far greater significance than mere intellectual knowledge.  It means we desire to “know” Christ Jesus and actually fellowship with Him, as I Jo. 1:3 says, “....and our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.”

 

Heart knowledge verses intellectual knowledge

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     The word “believe” in John 3 does not have the same meaning as “believe” in James 2:18, 19:   “But someone will say, ‘You have faith, and I have works.’  Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.  You believe that there is one God.  You do well.  Even the demons believe – and tremble!” The word “believe” here, means intellectual knowledge. The demons know who God is, but they certainly don’t have a relationship with Him.

      Whoever is the president of our country – we believe it because we know he was elected – but we don’t know him personally – it’s a known fact – this is intellectual knowledge.  We don’t have a personal relationship with him.  But when we come to the point in our lives, where we truly believe Jesus is the son of God, (heart knowledge) we begin our relationship with Him, and then we can repent of all our sins and start a new life in Christ.  Repenting means to stop practicing sin – turn around – make a conscious effort to live a life pleasing to God. By reading the Bible, we learn how to please God. Things always go better when we do our best to do the right thing. 

 

1. God loves you and has a purpose for your life:  "I came that they might have life, and that they may have it to the fullest."  (John 10:10) 

2. Everyone has done wrong:  "For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God." (Ro. 3:23) 

3. Our sin separates us from God: "For the wages of sin is death."  (Romans 6:23)  Sin costs!  Its ultimate cost is death and an eternity apart from God.  But God loves us and has provided a way for us to experience forgiveness of sin, abundant life on earth, and everlasting life in heaven.

4. God sent His Son - he was made flesh, and dwelt among us." (John 1:1,14)            Jesus died for us. "For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, to bring us to God." (I Peter 3:18)

5.  Jesus rose from the dead for you:  "He was delivered for our offenses, and raised for our justification." (Romans 4:25)

6. We must respond in faith to Jesus - It's not enough just to know the fact about                             Jesus.  We must turn from our ways and turn to Him.  We must receive Him to be saved:  "But as many as received Him, to them He gave the power to become the sons of God." (John 1:12)

7.  A personal relationship with God begins by praying to receive Christ.  "Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."  (Romans 10:13) 

8. You can use this prayer, if you like:  Lord, thank you for loving me and coming to earth to show us the way.  I believe you died to pay for my sin and you were raised from the dead to give me eternal life.  I want to turn from my sin and place my faith in you right now.  Please come into my life and be my Savior and Lord.  Show me how to live and help me to follow you always.  In your name I pray, amen.

9.  Now - you need to be baptized and grow as a Christian:  Read the Bible every day.  Begin in the Gospel of John.  Learn as much as you can about Jesus.

10. Pray daily.  Prayer is talking to God.  You can pray any time, even when you sin or fail in life.

11. Personally, I think God has a place in a church for each of us - that's up to the individual - church doesn't save you - or keep you saved - but you can find good Christian fellowship - and a place to serve God - so I do encourage people to look for the place where God wants them - but that's up to you.

12.  Now - can you believe that if you accept this - in your heart - and mean it -     that if you should die tonight - you'd be with the Lord?  Too simple? Well - read the book of John over and over until you realize that Jesus is the TRUTH!  (John 14:6)

 

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If a JW says they are in the truth – does that mean they are in the Watchtower Society’s interpretation of the Bible? Is that what “truth” really is?  When their “truth” is no longer “truth” because they’ve received “new light” – do you believe that’s OK with Jehovah?  If Jehovah didn’t give them the truth the first time around, who gave ‘it’ to them?  Why would Jehovah change His mind?