[continued from previous message]   
      
   The Bible shows that no mere human has seen God in His full unshielded   
   glory and lived. This was evident right in the context of Exodus 33:   
      
         “The LORD used to speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to   
          his friend” (Exodus 33:11, ESV).   
      
         “They saw the God of Israel. There was under his feet as it were   
          a pavement of sapphire stone” (Exodus 24:10, ESV).   
      
   Yet God tells Moses,   
      
         "You cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live”   
          (Exodus 33:20, ESV).   
      
   Later, God shows Moses His back side:   
      
         “Behold, there is a place by me where you shall stand on the   
          rock, and while my glory passes by I will put you in a cleft of   
          the rock, and I will cover you with my hand… Then I will take   
          away my hand, and you shall see my back, but my face shall not   
          be seen” (Exodus 33:21–23, ESV).   
      
   God grants Moses a glimpse of His “back”, because Moses cannot survive   
   the direct sight of His face. These passages describe genuine   
   encounters, yet not full exposure to the essence of God’s glory.   
      
   That's one of the reasons God had to come to us in a human body. This is   
   pictured by the tabernacle in the Old Testament (Exodus 25:8-9). God's   
   glory was shielded by animal skins (Exodus 26:14) to protect man (Exodus   
   33:20). Christ came to us as God (John 1:1) but in a human body (John   
   1:14) so we would not perish.   
      
      
   > Churches: All righteous ones in OT went to Heaven when they died.   
   > Bible: Jesus said no one ever went to Heaven. (John 3:13)   
      
      
   Misrepresentation.   
      
         • The church has held that OT saints went to a place of blessing   
           until Christ completed His atoning work (Irenaeus, *Against   
           Heresies* 4.27.2; Tertullian, *Against Marcion* 4.34;   
           Hippolytus, *Against Plato, On the Cause of the Universe* 1;   
           Augustine, *Enchiridion* 109).   
      
         • Jesus said right in that context that He came from heaven to   
           reveal the Father: “...except he who descended from heaven, the   
           Son of Man.” (John 3:13, ESV)   
      
      
   > Churches: Jesus is God.   
   > Bible: Jesus is the "Son of God". (John 10:36)   
      
      
   Bible: Jesus is God (John 1:1; John 20:28; Titus 2:13; Hebrews 1:8)   
   Church: Jesus is God (John 1:1; John 20:28; Titus 2:13; Hebrews 1:8)   
   Watchtower: Jesus is not God.   
      
   Also, you just, unwittingly demonstrated the church is correct for   
   acknowledging Jesus as God to anyone who understands and believes what   
   the Bible says.   
      
         “This was why the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him,   
          because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even   
          calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.”   
          (John 5:18, ESV)   
      
         “The Jews answered him, “It is not for a good work that we are   
          going to stone you but for blasphemy, because you, being a man,   
          make yourself God.”” (John 10:33, ESV)   
      
   Jesus is God. He was both with God and was God (not "was a god") in the   
   beginning (John 1:1-2). In Him all the fullness of the godhead dwells in   
   bodily form (Colossians 2:9). He is our great God and Savior (Titus   
   2:13). He is "my Lord and my God" (John 20:28). He received worship that   
   angels reject (Revelation 22:8-9; Matthew 14:33). The Jews attempted to   
   stone Him for making himself equal to God (John 10:33). "All things"   
   were created through Him, not all "other" things (John 1:3; Colossians   
   1:16). He did not consider equality with God something to cling to, but   
   emptied Himself and became obedient to provide an atonement for our sins   
   (Philippians 2:6-8). The disciples repeatedly equated Jesus Christ with   
   the "Kyrios" the LXX attributed to YHWH (Romans 10:9-13; Philippians   
   2:11; 1 Corinthians 12:3).   
      
      
   >   
   > Churches: Worship Jesus.   
   > Bible: Worship ONLY God. (Mt 4:10)   
      
   Bible: Worship Jesus (Matthew 14:33; Matthew 28:9; Hebrews 1:6;   
   Revelation 5:11-14).   
      
   Jesus: Received worship (John 9:38; Matthew 14:33; Matthew 28:9; Matthew   
   28:17; Luke 24:52; Hebrews 1:6).   
      
   Watchtower: Worshiping Jesus is "proper" (The Watchtower 1898)   
      
   Watchtower: Worshiping Jesus is not okay (The Watchtower 1964, 78, 86)   
      
         • Jesus received worship because He possesses the full identity   
           and nature of God, not because the Father allows worship of a   
           creature. The command stands unchanged: “You shall worship the   
           Lord your God and him only shall you serve” (Matthew 4:10,   
           ESV). Scripture never loosens that command. Instead, Scripture   
           reveals that the Son shares the same divine glory and receives   
           the same worship without violating it.   
      
         • The New Testament applies worship texts reserved for YHWH   
           directly to the Son. The Father commands all the angels to   
           worship Him: “Let all God’s angels worship him” (Hebrews 1:6,   
           ESV). God never commands angels to worship a creature. He alone   
           holds the right to receive worship. If the Son receives it, He   
           must share the divine identity.   
      
         • People bowed before Him and addressed Him with words reserved   
           for God. Thomas said, “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28, ESV).   
           Jesus did not correct him. He affirmed it by blessing those who   
           believe the same confession.   
      
         • The earliest believers prayed to Him. Stephen called upon Him   
           at the moment of death and said, “Lord Jesus, receive my   
           spirit” (Acts 7:59, ESV). Only God receives the spirits of men.   
      
         • He sits on the throne where all creation worships Him.   
           Revelation shows every creature offering blessing and honor and   
           glory and dominion “to him who sits on the throne and to the   
           Lamb” (Revelation 5:13, ESV). True worship flows to the Father   
           and the Lamb together because they share one divine glory.   
      
         • Jesus claimed the right to equal honor with the Father. “All   
           may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father” (John 5:23,   
           ESV). Equal honor with the Father violates the command of   
           Matthew 4:10 unless the Son possesses the same nature as the   
           Father.   
      
         • The disciples also attributed passages about YHWH directly to   
           Jesus. Joel promised salvation to those who call on the name of   
           YHWH. Paul applied that promise to Jesus in Romans 10:9–13.   
           Isaiah saw the glory of YHWH. John said Isaiah saw the glory of   
           Jesus in John 12:41. YHWH would prepare His own way in Isaiah   
           40:3. The Gospels applied that text to the ministry of John the   
           Baptist preparing the way of Jesus.   
      
   The Son does not compete with the Father for worship. He manifests the   
   Father’s glory. He radiates the Father’s essence. His death and   
   resurrection fulfilled the Father’s saving plan (1 Corinthians 15:1–4;   
   Romans 3:23–26). Worshiping Him honors the Father who sent Him.   
      
   Scripture upholds both truths at once. God alone receives worship. Jesus   
   receives worship. Therefore, the Son shares the God nature with the Father.   
      
      
   > Churches: Earth will be destroyed by fire.   
   > Bible: Earth will always exist. (Ec 1:4) (Ps 78:69) (Ps 119:90)   
      
      
   Ecclesiastes 1:4 states, “A generation goes, and a generation comes, but   
   the earth remains forever” (Ecclesiastes 1:4, ESV). Psalm 78:69 says God   
   “built his sanctuary like the high heavens, like the earth, which he has   
   founded forever” (Psalm 78:69, ESV). Psalm 119:90 adds that God   
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)