BIBLICAL CHRISTIANITY -

SOURCE OF AUTHORITY~

Accepts the Bible alone as final authority. No commentary or comments of leaders are accepted as "official" interpretations of the Bible.

THE TRINITY~
Believes the three Persons of the Godhead are one, yet distinct--with each being coequally and coeternally God.

JESUS CHRIST~
Believes He is God. Believes John 1:1 should be translated, "The Word was God." Believes in the bodily resurrection of Christ after three days in the grave.

HOLY SPIRIT~
Believes He is not only a person but also God, the third Person of the Trinity.

SALVATION~
Believes salvation is by grace alone through faith in Christ alone.

SOUL SLEEP~
Believes that, at death, the soul and spirit of the believer in Christ go immediately into the presence of Christ.

DESTINY OF THE WICKED~
Believes that those who reject the salvation provided by God will suffer everlasting punishment.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES:

SOURCE OF AUTHORITY~
Claim the Bible is their final authority. 'The Watchtower' is a main source of authority, and interpretations of leaders are final.

THE TRINITY~
Do not believe God is a trinity, and considers such a beleif to be polytheism.

JESUS CHRIST~
Believe He is "son of God" but not God. Translate John 1:1 to make Jesus Christ "a god," thus being guilty of polytheism. Say Christ was resurrected as a "glorious spirit creature" and did not have a physical body.

HOLY SPIRIT~
Deny He is the third Person of the Trinity; believe He is only an "active force."

SALVATION~
Claim everlasting life is a reward for doing the will of God and carrying out one's dedication.

SOUL SLEEP~
Believe that, at death, a righteous person remains in an unconscious state in the grave waiting for the resurrection.

DESTINY OF THE WICKED~
Believe that, at death, the wicked will cease to exist and will not suffer everlasting punishment.

SUMMARY:
Name of Organization: Watchtower Bible and Tract Society
Founder: Charles Taze Russell (1852-1916)
Headquarters: Brooklyn, New York
Adherents (1996): U.S.: 945,990
Worldwide: 4.7 million est.
Publications: The Watchtower
Awake!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
All the above information was taken from "TRUTH Twisters" by Harold J. Berry.
HAROLD J. BERRY is Professor of Bible and Greek at Grace University in Omaha, Nebraska. He currently serves as Back to the Bible's Chairman of the board. He served for many years as personal assistant to Theodore H. Epp, founder of Back to the Bible. He holds a Master's of Theology degree from Dallas Theological Seminary. [(c)1897, 1988, 1989, 1990,1992,1997]

May this information guide each of us to the Lord's Will of eternal life with Him forever.
Thank you and Blessings,
Abishag

Abishag, You got some of our beliefs wrong and could be wrong about JW's too. You need to quit quoting from this book you're relying so heavily on (Truth Twisters....)and quit focusing on bashing other religions my "Christian" friend. What is your point? Why don't you just stick to the Bible? You couldn't even answer my simple question about how Jesus is the Son of God (and still the same person as God - he's his own son?????) without asking me if I'm saved and all the mumbo jumbo you use to sound ultra religious. Point a finger at someone else - more will be pointed back on you. I'm sick of it! My most "kind" "friend."

Jeanie,

I am relentlessly typing the information from this Professor of the Bible, Harold J. Berry, in hopes that his words (not mine), will 'open the sight to the blind and set the captives free'.

If you notice at the Heading of this topic "Bible", the question is asked "what is your opinion of the Bible?". So, I agree 100% with Professor H.J. Berry's godly insight in this book! This endless typing may, I pray, lead others to a saving knowledge of Who Jesus said He is, GOD.

I am told to be a light and salt for Jesus, expose the deeds of darkness, and try to lead others to the only TRUE GOD, JESUS THE HOLY ONE!

I am not out to offend anyone. I just wish to direct THOSE WHO WILL LISTEN to what the Bible says. It took a great deal of time, Jeanie, and PRAYER to type my reply about your 'QUESTION'. Jesus wants to 'open the (spiritual eyes) of the blind. Hello? I did answer your "Question", you just totally MISSED the Words from the King James Version (sometimes New American Standard) Bible.

Sorry, but "the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, more commonly known as "LDS", or "Mormons" is leading many people AWAY FROM THE TRUTH, JESUS. My opinion of the LDS is that they are falsely interpreting the Word of God. He is the Judge.

I could take your email as a literal 'offense'or (BLAST) FROM YOU, JEANIE.

However, I am called by my Lord Jesus to, "turn the other cheeck', Love your enemies, bless those that curse you, pray for those that despitefully use you, and do good to those who hate you."

Please forgive me that YOU feel I am pointing a 'finger' at you. I will not reply to your questions anymore. I don't want to 'cast my pearls before the swine.' Jesus' words, not mine.

Sincerely, I care, Abishag <><
Having said all that, let's stay clear of each other, please.
It is most disturbing to me as well. Thank you!

Yah, I'm blasting you Abishag. If you want to call it that. I can point fingers, too. Funny.....you think you're right. I know I'm right. You have no right to judge. Just live what you think Abishag. No one wants to be preached to. Especially when you're wrong and judgmental.

Thank you, Jeanie. Jesus said, "You will be hated for My sake."

Abishag

I don't hate you Abishag. I just think you ought to get off your soapbox. Its gotten old. And you're judging me in ways you have no right to judge (and are wrong!)

The purpose of forums like this are to allow people to speak, not to censor them (unless they only want to cause strife, as in trolling).

Jeanie, instead of trying to stop abishag from posting their ideas and opinions they hold, you are welcome to post your own ideas, or, you can also oppose her ideas with evidence and information if you wish.

People too often say that the Bible says you should not judge. This is not true if you look at the original language, context, and meaning.

Here is a good explanation that should clear up the misunderstanding about this overused Bible verse.

http://www.capalert.com/judgenot.htm

It is important for Christians to put the light up against themselves as well as others' belief systems so as to discern the truth about them. The light reveals as does the Bible.

So, please feel free to have debate if you wish, but know that there is one truth, and all ideas that oppose truth are simply not true, and can therefore be harmful, and can even drag souls into eternal judgement.

Therefore, it is important for us to wrestle with these truths and to make sure we are accurate in our beliefs, and if we find inaccuracy, to refine out beliefs over time.

Posting critical information about a belief system gives persons holding that belief system an opportunity to grow by challenging their position, as many have challenged my own beliefs forcing me into further study—a good thing.

Even though this process may not be emotionally comfortable, it is necessary for us to refine our understanding and to deepen our knowledge about truth.

Let's not attempt to stop people from being critical (discerning), instead, let's test and challenge the information posted and see if it stands up under scrutiny.

I hope this makes sense.

Russ, yah, you're right. There IS one truth. But I don't see it the same as you OR Abishag. Yet you seem to think you have the right to blast what I believe without reprisal? She posted things that were NOT true about my own faith. A light? That's not truth. That's her opinion. And yours! I think you are deceived just as much as you think I am.

I am being told things about myself and my faith which are not true. THAT is judgment.

Russ, so you know, I know you mean well and that she does, too. I think you are both sweet people. But I am not open to your version of truth any more than you are mine. May we just leave it at that? I learn a lot on here in a lot of areas, but I've gotten so ticked lately I've tried to unsubscribe. Just don't know how to. (How do you?). The last straw has been a few of you actually telling me I don't accept Jesus Christ. You couldn't be farther from the truth. THAT offends me on an extremely deep level and to propose that, to me, is a judgment no one but HIM has any right to make. Just believing He and God are distinct individuals (He is God's son. How the heck do you or anyone else make sense of that?) does not mean He is not my savior. In my estimate YOU do not understand HIS true nature. But I don't judge you or tell you that regularly and I would seriously appreciate you keeping that to yourself even if you do think it. Just tell the truth as you see it but refrain from making blanket statements about the state of my heart, because you do not know it. Contrary to what you may think, you are not called to tell everyone else where they are wrong. It would be quite presumptuous and arrogant of you, now, wouldn't it?

THE TRINITY~
Believes the three Persons of the Godhead are one, yet distinct--with each being coequally and coeternally God.

JESUS CHRIST~
Believes He is God. Believes John 1:1 should be translated, "The Word was God." Believes in the bodily resurrection of Christ after three days in the grave.

HOLY SPIRIT~
Believes He is not only a person but also God, the third Person of the Trinity.


Jeanie: Please explain how you see the three personages of the trinity as being distinct. I know Jesus is the word....and agree they are coeternally coequal. But believing they are separate beings does not lessen that. They are one in purpose. The Godhead. Seriously....this sounds contradicting to me if you don't believe they are separate. How can you say Jesus was God's only begotten son without believing Jesus was GOD's only begotten son? I really don't understand how you make sense of that. You are saying they are all the same. They are all Gods....The Holy Ghost, though part of the Godhead, though, is without form. God and Jesus Christ both have bodies! God the Father is immortal and Jesus Christ is now as well after He resurrected Himself!!!

Abishag, I'm sorry. Like I told Russ, I know you've meant well....but it has gotten to the offensive point with me because my faith is so personal and IMPORTANT to me. To have it belittled or told it is less than it is is highly insulting to me. Highly. And you could not be more wrong. Just because people have variances with how you may see things does not give you the right to condemn. I don't agree with you either, but you don't see me posting comments all the time. I know what got you going a while back (I assume) was me stating the Bible has been changed over the years to Pwcca. It HAS been changed. I go strictly by the KJV and even that has been reinterpreted many times. Even most on here use a simplified already interpreted form of that. I BELIEVE IN THE BIBLE. But yes, I do believe there is more out there which is also scripture. Most other faiths use the end of the book of Revelations to back up their belief that the Bible should not be added to, but Revelations was written before some of John's other books. He was referring strictly to the Book of Revelations. It just happened to be placed as the last book of the Bible....of cannonized scripture.

Russ, the only reason you don't accept the Book of Mormon is cause it doesn't hold up to numerology? What kind of logic is that? You're afraid to pray about it because, like SS actually believes, you think satan will swoop down like an angel and deceive you? Yet you believe yourself that because some lady showed up and led you to the Church of Christ (or which ever one it was) that she was an angel leading you? (Yet now you denounce it as untrue, too). The Lord Jesus Christ has restored His church, again, on this earth....with the AUTHORITY and keys to the Priesthood again. It would do you well to start treating churches that bear His name with respect. It is HIS CHURCH. If you want to continue arguing and spewing your spit on The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, then unsubscribe me right now. I will not stand for it another minute.

Looks more like you're being the judge mate.

I'm not sure why you think that telling people of other sects and faiths that they are wrong is going to make them want to listen to you. Just my two cents.

LL: Quote:Sorry, but "the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, more commonly known as "LDS", or "Mormons" is leading many people AWAY FROM THE TRUTH, JESUS. My opinion of the LDS is that they are falsely interpreting the Word of God. He is the Judge.

Looks more like you're being the judge mate.

I'm not sure why you think that telling people of other sects and faiths that they are wrong is going to make them want to listen to you. Just my two cents.

Jeanie: Thanks LL. I'm really tired of it.

Repent and be saved.

most people forget the repent part...

Slither up would be more accurate.

Spoken like a truly uninformed self-proclaimed prophetess.....and with such love!

repent of just what?

The reasons Christians who know about mormonism say that you're not following the right Jesus are:

(1)...

"For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many."
(Matthew 24:5)

(2)...

The mormon Jesus is the brother of lucifer. This is what I was told by the missionaries that I studied with. They also pointed it out to me in mormon literature. I don't remember where at this point, but I could find it if you want me to.


The problem with this idea is that we live in a day of great deception, and Christ said Himself that we should be careful not to be deceived, for even satan himself comes as an angel of light.

If any information here is incorrect, please let me know and I'll check it out.

Also, please know that you are welcome to support your faith and challenge those who challenge you. This way, if we are all diligent and search for truth, we can find it.

Also, it's vital that we do not covet because it blinds us. Instead, we must be open to truth regardless of the way it makes us feel and regardless of our own wishes.

I'm not saying that you have idols, but only that we should all examine ourselves and make sure we're truly interested in truth and not in fulfilling our own desires for what we want truth to be.

I hope this makes sense.

Jeanie has a lot more in common with you than many others here. She is a fundamentalist Christian and a creationist. I'm pretty amazed that you are trying to tell her that she follows Satan.

It must give you a real warm feeling inside, feeling so secure in the knowledge that you know the truth, so many other people are wrong, and that it's your loving duty to help all these misguided souls to see the light. One day maybe you'll start to wonder why so many other people disagree with you and are still able to lead happy, fulfilling and productive lives. It must be a puzzler.

Russ: The mormon Jesus is the brother of lucifer.

Jeanie: Yep - so? If you know so much about us, you also know we believe we all existed as spirit children in a pre-earth life.... So in that sense, we are also brother and sister to Satan. When the plan was presented to come to earth to get bodies and be tested and prove ourselves, Jesus volunteered to be our Savior and do it to the glory of God but it would involve free agency. lucifer wanted to do it differently.....he wanted to pretty much force us all to do what was right (in which case there would have been no true growth) and also wanted the glory himself! his pride got in the way and he rebelled against heaven taking a third of the hosts of heaven (us being included in that host but we went with Christ's plan - if you are here on this earth, you "kept your first estate" and earned the privilege of gaining a body and coming to this earth) with him. They never got bodies and are here on the earth, now, to help with the testing, technically. They are miserable and want us to be miserable, too. Jesus Christ is everything you also believe and more, though. Believing He is the LITERAL son of God.....(both spiritually and in an earthly sense) does not lessen his role. It, actually, makes it more valiant and noble. He came to earth half man and half God. He had to learn and grow into His role and learn, himself, who He truly was. And He overcame. He is our beloved big brother.....He shows us the way and is our exemplar and He has bought us with a price. He is our Lord and Savior and, now, He is our God. He is the God of this earth.... (and is also its literal creator). But God the Father created man.... I can supply Biblical scripture to back these statements up.... Here is a testimony given by the Quorum of the 12 Apostles which summarizes it all as well...

http://www.lds.org/Static%20Files/P..._TheTestimonyOfTheApostles_36299_eng.pdf

http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.j...735b862384d20110VgnVCM100000176f620a____

(If that doesn't work this one might)

The Mormon Church is the largest Christian cult in the world today.

Joseph Smith became an egomaniac in his false teachings, as is proven by many true Christian Organizations today.

Those wanting to know Truth: Please check this out for yourself at the below website: Lamb and Lion Ministries ~

<http://www.lamblion.com/articles/articles_cults12.php>

" Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap." Galatians 6:7

I do not debate, as you well know, Jeanie, but I will "Stand firm" in my belief of what the Holy Bible says, "All scripture is given by inspiration of God (NOT JOSEPH SMITH), and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God (NOT JOSEPH SMITH), may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works." 2 Timothy 3:16 & 17.
You will probably 'come back with your venom', as YOU say.
I am SURE of WHO I know. The Great "I AM" never changes!
Abishag <><

You're entitled to you opinion, Abishag, however wrong it may be.

"Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth. But AVOID WORLDLY AND EMPTY CHATTER, for it will lead to further ungodliness." 2 Timothy 2:15-16

"Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted." 2 Tim. 3:12) -4:3-4 "The time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting their ears tickled, they will accumlulate for themselves teachers (LDS), in accordance to their own desires, and will turn many to myths."

I know, seriously.

LL: Jeanie has a lot more in common with you than many others here. She is a fundamentalist Christian and a creationist. I'm pretty amazed that you are trying to tell her that she follows Satan.


Jeanie: Thank you Linda. I appreciate it. You doing all right? I worked with a math teacher from England last week : ) Made me think of you.

Jesus said, "Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted shall be rooted up. Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch."

God is watching JESUS SAVES! Abishag <><

He sure does! (Save). But Abishag, its pretty ironic that you seem to think YOU are the one being persecuted. I guess I'm actually the one doing the right thing if that is how you look at it since I'm the one being singled out and judged. Sorry if I've offended you somehow. But I "ain't" gonna change the truth the way I see it just cause you don't agree and I happen to be very comfortable with my position before God. I've got room for improvement as we all do. Again, though, why don't you just stick to getting that there beam out of your own eye rather than nit pick me. For someone who comes off so all fired sweet and religious you sure are showing your colors.

Catholism is the biggest christian branch in the world today..
And also the most hipocratic one..
Instating the pope as Jesus's backup while Jesus is away in the heavens...
The pope... a former businessman with enough money and power to deem him worthy of a title such as pope, or like in england with the SIR title...

It's just plain unethical and wrong with catholism...
How can people even follow this, blindly....
Everywhere the pope goes.. millions of people gather... as if the pope were Jesus or God himself..... It's sickening for me to see the extent of brainwashing that exists in the world... sickening!

Just wanted to point that out...
It's not a matter of oppinion... really.. it's a matter of having open eyes... to see catholism for what it really is!

Amen!

Jehovah Witnesses VS Biblical Christianity ~

-
We seem to have gotten off the topic here. That is the way of the enemy, isn't it.

The LDS (Mormon Church) and the Jehovah Witness Church believe that THEIR church is the 'ONLY WAY' to heaven.

Creation, Conservation, and Consummation: Communicating the full gospel of Christ
By: Henry Morris III, D.Min.

The Pew Forum on Religious and Public Life released its second report based on the U.S. Religious Landscape Survey this past June. This enormous undertaking surveyed 35,000 Americans and concluded that most Americans have a nondogmatic approach to faith. Seven in 10 say that many religions can lead to eternal life and that there is more than one way to interpret the Scriptures. Although 9 in 10 believe in God, only 6 in 10 believe He is personal--and 3 in 10 see "god" as an impersonal force in the universe.

America is still mostly classified as Christian. Evangelicals make up 26.3 percent of churches, mainline Protestants are 18.1 percent, and Catholics 23.9 percent (for a total of 68.3 percent of the population). However, of all the religious groups surveyed, only Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses contained a majority who think that their beliefs represent the "only" way to heaven.Here's the startling fact: over half (57 percent) of evangelical Protestant church members believe that other religions can lead to eternal life. How can the church impact the world for Christ if so few professing Christians understand, much less witness to, the truth of their faith?

Preach the Gospel-

There is no more all-encompassing command in the New Testament than to "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature" (Mark 16:15). Before we shrug off the duty as already being done, may I suggest that many of our churches have lost sight of the breadth and depth of the "good news," relegating it in some cases to a cliché to be embraced, with little awareness of the majesty and enormity of who the Savior is.

Permit me to share the "full gospel" as it is presented in the Scriptures.

The Cross of Christ ~

Various forms of the Greek word for gospel (euaggelion, "good news") appear 101 times in the New Testament. The middle reference (50 before and 50 after) is in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4. This is the definition passage for the gospel. The central focus, of course, is the death, physical burial, and bodily resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. This gospel is to be "received" and "believed" (vv. 1-2) by faith, once for all. It is the means by which we are saved continually and forever, and it is the fact upon which we firmly stand. This great message of the atoning work of Christ is emphatically to be defined, understood, and preached "according to the Scriptures" (v. 4).

The Consummation in Christ

The first occurrence of the word "gospel" is in Matthew 4:23, where we are told that Jesus came "preaching the gospel of the kingdom." It is vital to stress the final consummation of Christ's atoning work, when He will finally be acknowledged by every creature as King of kings, and Lord of lords (Revelation 19:16). Certainly a major part of the "good news" is the great promise that we who have been saved by the work of Christ on the cross will one day "ever be with the Lord" (1 Thessalonians 4:17).

The Creation by Christ

The last occurrence of "gospel" is in Revelation 14:6, where the mighty angel is sent from the throne of God to fly through the earth and preach "the everlasting gospel… to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people." Here, it is abundantly clear that the emphasis is on Christ as Creator, for we are told to "worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters" (Revelation 14:7). Surely all serious students of the Scriptures are aware that the same Jesus who substituted Himself for our sin on the cross of Calvary is the great Creator who spoke the worlds into existence (Hebrews 1:2).

The Full Gospel

Evangelical churches have generally done well in presenting the central message of the gospel and have, at least in some measure, given credence to the consummation message of the gospel through prophecy conferences and various sermons about the return of Christ and our hope of heaven. But the gospel entails the full scope of the work of Jesus Christ, involving the whole sweep of His redemptive purpose in history.

In this respect, the creation message has been neglected among many churches. Perhaps it would be well for us to remember how important that foundational doctrine really is to the "good news."

Many of us give away small printed copies of the Gospel of John as a witnessing tool, since of all the New Testament books it was specifically "written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name" (John 20:31). What may be overlooked by some is that the gospel begins by emphatically laying the foundation squarely on the omnipotent and omniscient authority of the Creator-Messiah who "was made flesh and dwelt among us" (John 1:14).

Three great passages in Scripture clearly set the perspective for the gospel.

Colossians 1:16-20

By Him were all things created.
By Him all things consist (or are saved from destruction).
By Him all things are reconciled.
Hebrews 1:2-4

He made the worlds.
He is upholding all things.
He becomes heir of all things.
Romans 11:36

For of Him…
And through Him …
And to Him…are all things:
To whom be glory for ever. Amen.

The gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ encompasses the complete three-fold work of Christ: the creation of all things, the conservation of this present world, and the consummation of the universe to His perfection, past-present-future.

Neglect the Creation--and there is no Foundation or Standard or Ability.

Neglect the Cross--and there is no Power or Authority or Justice.

Neglect the Consummation--and there is no hope or joy or victory.

We can only impact our world by preaching the gospel--the full gospel. It and it alone is the power of God unto salvation (Romans 1:16). We have done a fairly good job on conveying the central part of the gospel concerning Christ's work on the cross. Let us now reaffirm our commitment to preach the whole counsel of God (Acts 20:27), and teach the foundation and the consummation as well.

*Dr. Morris is CEO of the Institute for Creation Research.

JEHOVAH WITNESSES VS BIBLICAL CHRISTIANITY

God's Only Begotten Son
by Henry Morris, Ph.D.

One of my favorite Christmas Scripture verses is I John 4:9. "In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him." The marvelous incarnation in human flesh of the only begotten Son of God is not the end of the story, of course. The next verse explains that we have life through Him because God "sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins" (I John 4:10). Our heavenly Father gives us eternal life instead of the eternal hell that we deserve because His only begotten Son died in our place for our sins. "For He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him" (II Corinthians 5:21).

Consider, though, the significance of this revelation that Jesus Christ is the Father's "only begotten" Son. This unique phrase is used with reference to the Lord Jesus just four other times, and all five verses contain vitally important truths concerning Christ. These verses are as follows:

(1) "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth" (John 1:14).

This is the key verse of the Incarnation, assuring us that the man Jesus, who dwelt among us for a time, was also the eternal Word who was "in the beginning with God" and that He "was God" and that "all things were made by Him" (John 1:1-3). He was God the Creator manifest in the flesh.

(2) "No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, He hath declared Him" (John 1:18).

The Father is omnipresent, and therefore invisible to mortal eyes, but as Jesus said: "He that hath seen me hath seen the Father" (John 14:9). Men have seen and heard the Father in the person of His only begotten Son. Whenever God has been seen by men, it has been through the Son who has revealed Him.

(3) "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life" (John 3:16).

This verse, of course, is the most magnificent of all gospel verses; many would call it the greatest verse in the Bible. It assures us that, if we simply put our trust in our great Creator who has become man in order to die for our sins, and then to defeat death and become our Savior, our sins will be forgiven, and we shall live forever with Him.

(4) "He that believeth on Him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God" (John 3:18).

Other than the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, "there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved" (Acts 4:12). In view of all that our Creator/Savior has done for us, this verse gives clear warning that those who refuse or neglect to believe on the person and work of God's only begotten Son, will die in their sins, condemned forever by the Father whose Son they have spurned.

(5) ". . . God sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him" (I John 4:9).

This great Christmas verse was discussed above and is a wonderful summary verse on salvation that Christians now often write on their Christmas cards.

But why was it important for the Holy Spirit who inspired these five great verses to stress that the Lord Jesus was the incarnate only-begotten Son of God. Many modern English translations of the New Testament apparently do not consider it important, for they render the phrase merely as "only son." It is so rendered in the Living Bible, the Revised Standard Version, the God's Word translation, the 20th Century New Testament, the New Living Translation, the Moffatt, Goodspeed, and Williams translations, and many others. The New International Version renders it "one and only son." There are still a few, however—the best-known being the New American Standard and the New King James—that render it correctly (as in the King James Version) as "only begotten Son."

The Greek word for "only begotten" is monogenes, the very form of which clearly denotes "only generated." As monotheism connotes only one God and monosyllable means a word of only one syllable, so monogenes means only one genesis or only one generated—or, more simply, only begotten. It does not mean "one," or even "one and only." It is worth noting that, although Christ is called the Son, or Son of God, frequently in the New Testament, He is never (in the Greek original) called the "only" son of God.

The fact is, that to call Him the only Son of God would make the Bible contradict itself, for He is not the only Son of God, and certainly not the "one and only" Son of God. Angels are several times called the sons of God (e.g., Job 38:7) since they had no fathers, being directly created by God. Likewise, Adam was called the son of God (Luke 3:38), because he was directly created. The same applies even to fallen angels (Genesis 6:2), and even to Satan (Job 1:6), because they also were created beings. The term is also used in a spiritual sense, of course, for those who have become "new creations" in Christ Jesus by faith (II Corinthians 5:17; Ephesians 2:10; etc.). In this sense, we also are "sons of God" (e.g., I John 3:2) by special creation—not physically but spiritually.

But it is never applied in this sense to Christ, for He is not a created son of God (as the Jehovah's Witnesses and other cultists teach), but a begotten Son of God—in fact, the only begotten Son of God. He never had a beginning, for He was there in the beginning (John 1:1). In His prayer to the Father in the upper room, He spoke of "the glory which I had with thee before the world was" (John 17:5).

In that wonderful Old Testament Christmas prophecy about His coming human birth in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2), we are told that His "goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting." His human body was, indeed, "brought forth" from "she which travaileth" (Micah 5:2). But long before that, He had been everlastingly going forth from "the bosom of the Father." As noted in John 1:18, He was still "in the bosom of the Father," even while He was on Earth manifesting the Father.

This is beyond our full comprehension, of course, for it is all part of the mystery of the Tri-une Godhead. Christ is "the image of the invisible God" (Colossians 1:15), for as He said: "I and my Father are one" (John 10:30).

He is not just the only begotten Son of the Father, but He is also the eternally begotten Son of the Father. He is eternally "in His bosom," yet always "going forth" to "declare" the Father—once as the creating Word, occasionally in pre-incarnate theophanies, also through the Holy Spirit conveying God's written Word (which had been "eternally settled in heaven" [Psalm 119:89]) down to man through divinely chosen prophets, then ultimately appearing as the incarnate Word to live forever as the God/man.

The doctrine of "eternal generation" was what the older theologians called this great truth. He did not become the only Son by His virgin birth. He was the only begotten Son from eternity, "set up from everlasting" (Proverbs 8:23).

But that is not all. He was not just the only begotten Son in the beginning, He soon also became the "first begotten of the dead" in time (Revelation 1:5). He was "declared to be the Son of God with power, by the resurrection from the dead" (Romans 1:4). When Paul at Antioch preached on the resurrection, he declared that God "hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee" (Acts 13:33).

He is the only begotten Son eternally and now the first begotten Son by resurrection, "the first fruits of them that slept" (I Corinthians 15:20). What a wonderful Savior is Jesus Christ, our Lord!

The Lord Jesus is not only the unique Son of God by eternal generation and by resurrection, but also by divine inheritance. God has "spoken unto us by His Son, whom He hath appointed heir of all things" (Hebrews 1:2).

His unique human birth, miraculously conceived with a divinely created body in a virgin's womb, had also marked Him as the incarnate Son of God. To Mary, the angel had said: "Fear not . . . that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God" (Luke 1:30,35).

His unique righteousness, in both character and action, still further marks Him as Son of God, for He alone possessed the divine nature from the beginning. He said on one occasion: "The Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He seeth the Father do: for what things soever He doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise" (John 5:18).

He was even identified as God's Son by heavenly proclamation. "There came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased" (Mark 1:11).

The Lord Jesus Christ is thus Son of God by miraculous conception and virgin birth, by heavenly proclamation, by His uniquely perfect human nature, by divine inheritance, and by triumphant resurrection.

But, most of all and first of all, He is Son of God by eternal generation—the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, the only begotten Son of God!

There is another great Christmas verse. "For unto us a child is born," known and beloved by every born-again Christian. That child was the infant Jesus, born of the virgin as prophesied hundreds of years in advance (Isaiah 7:14) in the little town of Bethlehem, as also prophesied (Micah 5:2). At the same time, "Unto us a son is given." That Son was the only begotten, eternally begotten Son of God. "And the government shall be upon His shoulder," for He holds the whole wide world in His hand! "And His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace" (Isaiah 9:6).

As one with the everlasting Father in the Tri-une Godhead, He is also the mighty God. He is our Creator, our Redeemer, our Resurrected Savior, our King of kings and Lord of lords. "Wherefore He is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him" (Hebrews 7:25).

* Dr. Henry Morris is Founder and President Emeritus of ICR.