![]() ![]() Now stick that usage of first-born into the context of Colossians 1:15, and it fits perfectly. Then how is it that David is the first-born? In the Old Testament use of the word, he is first- born in that he is pre-eminent or sovereign of all the kings of the earth. Is David the first-born son of Jesse? No, he is the eighth and youngest son of Jesse. In Psalm 89:27 God says of David, “I also shall make him My first-born, the highest of the kings of the earth.” Let’s take a good look and see how first- born is used here. Here’s an example of the meaning of the word. Paul is referring to the Jewish use of the word first-born which not only means first one born but also is used as a title of sovereignty and pre-eminence. If Paul wanted to say Christ was the first created being, he would have used this word but he does not. The key to understanding this verse is understanding the term first-born, what does it mean? The Greek word for “first created” is the word Protoktioti. The verse they use here is Colossians 1:15, “And He is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of all creation.” Here the Witnesses say Christ is the first-born which they say means, “first created being of God.” Therefore, they conclude Jesus cannot be God since He was created. In one approach they attempt to show that Jesus cannot be God because He was created. We’ll be studying the main verses they use to try to disprove the Trinity. When it comes to the Trinity, Witnesses only know about 8 verses to defend their view. I run in to many Christians who tell me, “The Jehovah’s Witnesses know their Bible so well, and they’ve got so many verses memorized.” The truth is, they don’t know their Bible well, it’s just that we Christians are lacking in our Bible knowledge. Then we will look at the best verses to use in demonstrating the truth of the Trinity to Jehovah’s Witnesses. At this point we need to look at verses Jehovah’s Witnesses use to attempt to disprove the Trinity and learn how to refute these arguments. Therefore, we come to the conclusion that the Trinity is made up of three separate persons who are the one true God. Yet, we must remember, there is only one God according to the verses we looked at Deuteronomy 6:4 and Isaiah 44:6. So we see clearly that there are three persons in the Bible, and all three are called God. In Acts 5:3-4 the Holy Spirit is called God, “But Peter said, ‘Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit?.You have not lied to men, but to God.’“ He is a person and has the characteristics of a person. First, let us understand, the Holy Spirit is not an impersonal force. The Holy Spirit is also a separate person, and He is also called God. John 1:1 says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Titus 2:13 says, “Looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus.” So here we see clearly, the Son is also called God. Jesus the Son, is a separate person but He is also called God. So there is one member of the Trinity, the Father. ![]() The Father is obviously called God as seen throughout the Bible. Let’s take a look at some verses that back up our doctrine of the Trinity. The Trinity is a difficult concept to grasp, because we are finite beings trying to explain an infinite God who is beyond our understanding. Yet, there are three separate persons in the Bible who are called God and have the characteristics only God can have. Deuteronomy 6:4 states, “Hear O Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is one.” Isaiah 44:6 states, “I am the first and I am the last, and there is no God besides me.” Clearly, these verses reveal that there is only one God. The Bible clearly states that there is only one God. Paul makes a clear warning of this in 2 Corinthians 11:4. ![]() It is important we understand this doctrine because the wrong Jesus or the wrong God cannot save us from eternal death. These three persons are of the same substance, equal in power and glory. ![]() These three persons make up the one true God. The doctrine of the Trinity is the belief that there is one God who has revealed Himself in three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Too many Christians lack a solid understanding of the Triune nature of God. Before we can defend this doctrine, however, we must have a clear understanding of the Trinity. In this essay I would like to teach you how to defend the doctrine of the Trinity, a truth clearly denied by Jehovah’s Witnesses. We covered some effective techniques such as the Witnesses’ record of false prophecy, the name “Jehovah”, the bodily resurrection of Christ, and the personality of the Holy Spirit. In another essay (Jehovah’s Witnesses: Witnessing to the Witnesses) I discussed effective evangelistic strategies when sharing the faith with Jehovah’s Witnesses. ![]()
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