who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony given at the proper time." 1 Timothy 2:5,6
After reading that, how can there be any confusion as to who our mediator is? There are other scriptures I will add to this one later on. But the Watchtower society has made a very serious claim about the role of Jesus as a mediator. Rather than attempt to explain them, I will let the quotes from JW literature speak for themselves.
w79 4/1 31 Questions from Readers
At a time when God was selecting those to be taken into that new covenant, the apostle Paul wrote that Christ was the “one mediator between God and men.” (1 Tim. 2:5) Reasonably Paul was here using the word “mediator” in the same way he did the other five times, which occurred before the writing of 1 Timothy 2:5, referring to those then being taken into the new covenant for which Christ is “mediator.” So in this strict Biblical sense Jesus is the “mediator” only for anointed Christians.
That isn't what Paul wrote.
w79 11/15 26 Benefiting from "One Mediator Between God and Men"
20 What, then, is Christ’s role in this program of salvation? Paul proceeds to say: “There is one God, and one mediator between God and men [not, all men], a man Christ Jesus, who gave himself a corresponding ransom for all.”—1 Tim. 2:5, 6.
Not all men? See how they twist the scripture to fit their doctrine?
w89 8/15 30 Questions From Readers
Clearly, then, the new covenant is not a loose arrangement open to all mankind. It is a carefully arranged legal provision involving God and anointed Christians.
Legal provision?
w89 8/15 31 Questions From Readers
The people of all nations who have the hope of everlasting life on earth benefit even now from Jesus’ services. Though he is not their legal Mediator, for they are not in the new covenant, he is their means of approaching Jehovah.
He is not their legal Mediator, but he is their means of approaching Jehovah? Isn't that a blatant contradiction?
w89 8/15 31 Questions From Readers
Consequently, 1 Timothy 2:5, 6 is not using “mediator” in the broad sense common in many languages. It is not saying that Jesus is a mediator between God and all mankind. Rather, it refers to Christ as legal Mediator (or, “attorney”) of the new covenant, this being the restricted way in which the Bible uses the term.
Now they are twisting the meaning of the word "mediator".
w89 12/15 30 Do You Remember?
In what sense does Paul use the term “mediator” when referring to Jesus at 1 Timothy 2:5, 6? In this text, Paul uses the Greek word me·si'tes for “mediator,” which term has a legal significance, so he is not using this word in the broad sense common in many languages. Hence, Paul is not saying that Jesus is Mediator between God and all mankind. Rather, he is referring to Christ as legal Mediator of the new covenant, which laid the basis for Christ’s anointed followers to share with him in his heavenly Kingdom. (2 Corinthians 5:1, 5; Ephesians 1:13, 14; Hebrews 8:7-13)—8/15, pages 30, 31.
We have already seen what Paul wrote, applying it to all men. Here they are trying to toss in a Greek word to support their claim.The definition of me-si'tes is:
- one who intervenes between two, either in order to make or restore peace and friendship, or form a compact, or for ratifying a covenant
- a medium of communication, arbitrator
Does the word have legal significance? Or is it simply a go between?
w84 7/15 14-15 Organized to Serve Jehovah
There must be agreement among all true Christians, a unified message, if people are to hear what is correct, put genuine faith in the true God and call upon Jehovah’s name with the prospect of being saved. Moreover, one spirit-directed organization must be used in connection with the sending forth of those truthful preachers of the “good news.”—Romans 10:11-15.
Spirit directed organization....that claims to not be inspired by God.
Survival into a New Earth p. 65
"With Christ they make up the agency by means of which blessings will be extended to all other obedient ones among mankind. Appreciation of this is a key to understanding the Bible."
Now they elevate themselves to be with Christ.
Maybe we should check out a few scriptures and compare them to these claims.
Acts 13:38-39--"Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through Him forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you,
and through Him everyone who believes is freed from all things, from which you could not be freed through the Law of Moses.
Ephesians 1:7 "By means of him we have the release by ransom through the blood of that one, yes, the forgiveness of [our] trespasses, according to the riches of his undeserved kindness."
Romans 6:23 "For the wages sin pays is death, but the gift God gives is everlasting life by Christ Jesus our Lord."
Hebrews 7:25 "Consequently he is able also to save completely those who are approaching God through him, because he is always alive to plead for them."
Hebrews 8:10-12 "'For this is the covenant that I shall covenant with the house of Israel after those days,' says Jehovah. 'I will put my laws in their mind, and in their hearts I shall write them. And I will become their God, and they themselves will become my people. 11 "'And they will by no means teach each one his fellow citizen and each one his brother, saying: "Know Jehovah!" For they will all know me, from [the] least one to [the] greatest one of them. 12 For I shall be merciful to their unrighteous deeds, and I shall by no means call their sins to mind anymore.'"
Isn't it obvious at this point that Jesus is the Mediator for everyone, and not just a select few?
Furthermore, if Jehovah puts His laws into their minds and hearts, how can they possibly attempt to explain away past mistakes by stating that it is a gradual understanding? After all, if Jesus is supposedly mediating between God and them, wouldn't this be a claim of direct guidance? Yet they attempt to cover over those errors and sweep them under the carpet.
Another mistake made is the attempt to parallel the great crowd with the alien residents under the law covenant. They write: Watchtower 1995 Jul 1 p.17 "The Israel of God" and the "Great Crowd
"Since a number of these faithful foreigners, or alien residents, are viewed as foreshadowing the great crowd today, their situation is of interest to us.
Such ones were proselytes, dedicated worshipers of Jehovah under the Mosaic Law who were separated from the nations along with the Israelites. (Leviticus 24:22) They offered sacrifices, kept clear of false worship, and abstained from blood, just as the Israelites did."
Did you catch the error? The alien residents were included in the law covenant. So if they are foreshadowing the great crowd, that would mean that the great crowd will be included into the new covenant.
This is a very blatant attempt to control the masses. In essence, what the are saying is that if you do not follow their instructions, accept their teachings without question, you will not make it through Armageddon and live on in an earthly paradise. They shove Jesus out of the picture, since the claim is that he is not the mediator for all of us, only them. They do this by twisting words, adding their own words to verses, and going well beyond what is written.
Maybe they should read this verse, and think about what they are doing.
Galations 1:8--But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God's curse!
No comments:
Post a Comment