Jehovah’s Witnesses and the Son and Father as one.

Life has been very busy lately with work and wedding planning, so my plan for a schedule is well…..a bit off schedule. so here is an old article, I dug up that I pray you may find useful……….Glen

 

John 10:30 I and my Father are one.

The Jehovah’s Witnesses will readily agree that the world of Christianity will use this verse to say that Jesus Christ was equal with God, so therefore was God. But they quickly will disagree with this line of reasoning. The defence they rely on to show otherwise is the below scripture.

John 17:21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:
23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.

JEHOVAH’S WITNESS’ STAND

They will claim that what John 10:30 meant is answered in John 17. The fact that He is one with the Father simply means that the Father is in agreement with what Jesus is doing, as does it mean in John 17 where the Christians are to be one, in fellowship. They claim that there is no teaching of deity in these verses.

CHRISTIAN STAND

John 10:30 — the phrase “are one” is important and will be the foundation for the rest of the discussion on these passages.

ARE

The term “are” is in the present tense and in the indicative mood, which simply means that it is said in to the people as a matter of fact, and shows no time of beginning or end. The term “are” is also written in the masculine gender which shows two separate persons yet as you will read next, with one interest.

ONE

The word “one” here is the greek word heis which is written in the neuter which shows “one thing” and “one interest”

John 17: 21 “may be one in us” unlike the John 10:30 reference the one in us is different, the term “may” has the subjunctive mood, which can show a condition and potential. This will be touched on later.

v.22 – “they may be one, even as we are one” here you see it again the subjunctive mood for the first section of the quotation, but for the “are one” is a once again, indicative mood.

Notice as well in this verse that Christ is speaking of the Christians to be one with each other, for they can not be as one with God while here on earth.

ARE WE ONE MIND WITH GOD?

Never do we read that we are one with God as Christ states in John 10:30, we do read how we can grow to perfection, and sinlessness, but that will not be until the rapture when our bodies will be changed. rf. Ephesians 4:15; 1 Peter 1:3,4; 1 Cor. 15:52

JESUS ONE WITH GOD?

No man, or spiritual being can be one with God as Christ is stating here. No one can think or have the complete same interests as God, the Father, yes Jesus Christ is claiming He does.

MAN ONE WITH GOD?

Isa 55:8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.
Jer 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

ANGELS ONE WITH GOD?

Some will try to say, that yes angels can be one with God, in complete unity and interest of God, yet God says otherwise.

Job 4:18 Behold, he put no trust in his servants; and his angels he charged with folly:

JESUS ONE WITH GOD?

John 10:30 30 I and my Father are one.

How beautiful and wonderful it is to know that our Saviour is God the Son, perfect, spotless, sinless and in unity with God the Father. Thomas could appreciate this when he could call Christ His Lord and His God (John 10:20), and Jesus’ half brother Judas could rejoice in this as he could call him Jesus His Saviour, God. (Jude 25)

1Ti 4:10 For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe. (rf. 2 Tim. 1:10)