Answers to the Jehovah Witness about Jesus' Deity and Hell The JW's are a Christian Cult because their gospel damns men and women into the fires of Hell. The following questions are presented by many JW's to try to disprove the Bible: Question #1...."Christians claim that Jesus is equal to the Father and the Holy Spirit in Deity. But Jesus states in Revelation 3:12 that to those who overcome He (Jesus) would make them pillars in the Temple of His God. He uses this phrase 5 times in this verse, it seems that He cannot be equal and still have a God as well?" Answer.....It is true that Jesus calls the Father in Heaven, God. On the Cross of Calvary Jesus cries out to the Father, "My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?" But it is also true that God the Father calls Jesus, God! In Hebrews 1:8, the writer declares says, "But about the Son He [God the Father] says, Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever, and righteousness will be the scepter of your kingdom." JW's get confused because not only does Jesus call the Father God, but He is also submissive to Him. We must remember that what we see in the Bible is God's plan of salvation for the human race being "worked out". In that plan the Trinity assumes "roles" in order to effect man's salvation. One member of the Divine Trinity is called the Father and remains in Heaven and orchestrates the plan, while another member of the Trinity, "who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal to God: But made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, He humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross" (Phillipians 2:6-8 KJV). Of course this person is the GodMan Jesus Christ who was 100% God and 100% man. He willingly stepped down from His throne in Heaven and came to earth to dwell in human flesh in order to be "the Man" who could satisfy God's requirement that man's sins be paid for by man. It was Jesus who admitted that He did not come to do His will, but rather the will of the Father, "I have come down from Heaven not to do my will but to do the will of Him who sent me..." (John 6:38). These roles of the Trinity are very similar to our roles as Husbands and Wives. In a marriage, who is greater the man or the woman? Who has greater worth and standing before God? The answer is that both are equals before God and of the same essence and worth. But God has assigned roles to each in order to effect a meaningful relationship. Imagine the conflict if both the husband and the wife had the leadership role. Who would make the decision between two courses of action? To whom would the children go to as the Head of the family? It would be like an organization with only "chiefs" and no "indians." God has assigned the woman a submissive role to the man, but this role does in no way affect her standing before God as a person, "You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have been clothed with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are one in Christ Jesus" (Galatians 3:26-28). Jesus Christ is God....when Thomas doubted His resurrection it was Jesus who said to him, "Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe. Thomas said to Him, 'My Lord and my God!'" (John 20:27-28). Jesus accepted this worship from Thomas giving clear evidence that He was in fact God Himself in human flesh. The JW religion believes that Jesus is Michael the Archangel, but the Bible makes no provision for any angel to ever accept worship as God (Revelation 19:10 John attempts to worship an angel but is told, "Do not do it!....Worship God!). The Bible declares that Jesus is God, "He is the image of the invisible God (Cols 1:15)....In Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form (Cols 2:9)....I am the Alpha and the Omega, says the Lord God, who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty." (Rev 1:8). Question #2...."If the term Hell is real then why did Jesus go there? (Acts 2:31). Please don't quote Peter that these are two different words for Hell." Answer...The confusion is in the word translated "Hell" by the King James writers. Note that the KJV has a footnote referring the reader to the fact that the Greek term is "Hades."Jesus went to Hades (Gr.) and called Hell by the writers. Hades is used in the OT and the NT to refer to the place where both the godly and the ungodly go while waiting for the resurrection of their souls. Look at Luke 16:19-31 for a real clear picture of Hades. Two people died, one rich and ungodly, and the other poor and godly. Both are in Hades, but notice that the beggar is in comfort, "now he is comforted..." (Lk 16:25), whereas the rich man is also in Hades but is in torment (not soul- sleep),"the rich man also died, and was buried; and in Hell (Hades, Gr.) he lifted up his eyes, being in torments....I am in torment in this flame" (Lk 16:23-24). Bible Bulletin Board internet: www.biblebb.com modem: 609-324-9187 Box 318 Columbus, NJ 08022 ....online since 1986 Sysop/Webmaster: Tony Capoccia