Why
does the Watchtower deny the first coming of
Christ?
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Is
the Christ only a title that Jesus took at his
baptism?
Although most
Christians are aware that the Watchtower denies the Deity of
Jesus, not many are aware that the Watchtower also denies
that the first coming of Christ happened when Jesus came to
earth as a baby. Instead of believing as historic
Christianity does that Christ came to earth in the very
person of Jesus at the start
of his human
life, the Watchtower teaches that the Christ is a spiritual
title that the man Jesus earned later in life at his
baptism. Obviously both views can't be right. Either Jesus
was already the Christ at birth or he became the Christ at
his baptism. Historic Christianity has three main reasons
for believing that Jesus was born the Christ. These three
reasons are prophesy,
promise
and proclamation.
What
is the Prophetic evidence?
All through the ages
the nation of Israel believed that Jehovah God had
prophesied a deliverer. The prophetic
record given by
God stated in Isaiah that there would be a sign given. What
was this sign? Isaiah 7:14 says, "Therefore the Lord Himself
will give you a sign:
Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and
shall call His name Immanuel." The sign was
the
birth of a baby.
Just think of that! The sign was the birth of a baby not the
baptism of a man! Is there any prophecy that Israel should
look for their deliverer by the sign of baptism? The
Watchtower hasn't come up with a single prophecy for that
and we couldn't find one either.
What
is the Personal Promise from God Himself?
The second reason to
believe that Jesus was born the Christ is God's
personal
promise through
the Holy Spirit. In Luke 2:25-34, the Bible records that a
promise was given personally to Simeon that he would live to
see Jehovah's Christ. In verse 27 it states that Simeon came
into the temple and saw Mary and Joseph and the child Jesus.
Simeon took the young child Jesus in his arms and then gave
praise to God for allowing him to see Israel's deliverer.
Simeon states, quote "Lord, now you are letting your servant
depart in peace, according
to your word;
for my eyes have seen your salvation which you have prepared
before the face of all peoples, a light to bring revelation
to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel." Did
Simeon's eyes see the Christ as he looked at the face
of the baby Jesus? Did Simeon see the Savior and the
glory of Israel? He stated that he did and that it was God's
fulfilled
promise to him.
Even John the Baptist, who baptized Jesus and who was told
by God that he would recognize the Christ by seeing the Holy
Spirit descending and remaining on him testified that Jesus
was the Son of God not that Jesus became the Son of God at
his baptism.
What
is the final Proclamation from Jehovah?
The third reason to
believe that Jesus was born the Christ is the proclamation
of Jehovah's angel. On the very day of Jesus' birth
an angel gave a very important statement of testimony to
God's chosen witnesses. In Luke 2:10-12 it says "Then the
angel said to them Do not be afraid, for behold, I
bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all
people.. For there is born to you this day in the city of
David a Savior who
is Christ
the Lord.'" The angel's proclamation was that the Christ
was born that very day. Does the Watchtower have even
one testimony that states that Jesus did not become the
Christ until his baptism? The Watchtower teaches that Jesus
became the spiritual Son of God when the voice came from
heaven saying "This is my beloved Son in whom I am well
pleased." But you will notice that Jehovah God declared
Jesus already his Son, not that Jesus had just become or
earned the right to become his Son, at his
baptism.
How
does the Watchtower reinterpret the angel's
proclamation?
The Watchtower
concludes that the angel's proclamation meant that Jesus was
to become the Christ later. If that is truth, why didn't
Jehovah God just tell the angel to say what he meant?
He could have easily written the Bible to say that Jesus was
born to
become the
Christ at a later date. Instead he inspired the word
is.
The angel said that "this day is
born the Christ". If you take the Watchtower's reasoning and
take the word "is" and change it to mean "is to become" then
the passage in Matthew chapter 1 where Joseph learned that
Mary was already pregnant, in verse 20 you would also have
the angel appearing to Joseph in a dream saying "that which
is to become conceived in her". Since Mary was
already pregnant, we know that you can't change the word
"is" to mean "is to become". That would totally contradict
verse 18 which says that Mary was already found to be with
child. The Watchtower has no evidence of prophecy, no
evidence of a promise or and no evidence of a proclamation
that states that Jesus became the Christ at
baptism.
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