In the Beginning Was the Word
The title of this tract starts the gospel of John. Unlike the other gospel accounts that start with the birth of Christ and the work of John the baptizer, the Apostle John goes back to the pre-fleshly state of Christ. Contrary to what some religious groups teach Jesus Christ was not a created being. In Isaiah 43:10-11 God’s Word says: “Ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me. I, even I, am the Lord; and beside me there is no saviour.”
There are three that possess the nature of God: the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The “Word” of John 1:1 is defined in verse 14: “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.” So then John tells us clearly that Jesus Christ is the Word of John 1:1. God cannot be created; He had no beginning or end. The Psalmist makes this fact clear: “Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God” (Psalm 90:2). When someone talks about a god that was created he is not talking about Jehovah God of the Bible. Paul declared the Deity of Christ, “Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible, and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: and he is before all things, and by him all things consist” (Colossians 1:15-17). Some see the word “firstborn” in verse 14 and falsely conclude that Christ was created. This verse does not show the order of created things with Christ being the first thing created. It does, on the other hand, show that Christ is over all and that He existed before everything was created and He created everything, which is to say He is God or divine. Notice verse 16 says that Christ created everything both in heaven and in earth, thus if He was created that would mean He created himself! Also in John 1:1 we learn that the Word or Christ was “with God.” In the Greek “with God” is “pros ton Theon” which means face to face with God or equal with God. That shows His Deity, just as does Philippians 2:6 where He is said to be “equal with God.” Jesus existed at the creation (Genesis 1:26): “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.” Jesus as well as the Holy Spirit is a part of the “us” mentioned here. In Exodus 3:14 when God appeared to Moses at the burning bush and told him to go to Pharoah, Moses asked, “Who will I tell them sent me?” God said tell them “I AM THAT I AM” (Exodus 3:14). In John 8 Jesus told them that “Abraham rejoiced to see my day” (John 8:56). Their response was that Jesus was not even 50 years old yet so he could not have seen Abraham. Jesus responded, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am” (John 8:58). They understood what Jesus was saying and they took up stones to kill him. Jesus was not saying He was older than Abraham by His years. He was saying He existed before Abraham was born. Jesus then was claiming Deity. Also in John 10:30 He said, “I and my Father are one.” They understood that He was not claiming to be God the Father but that He was claiming to be “equal with God” (John 5:18). Therefore, when John 1:1 refers to Christ and says, “In the beginning was the Word, the Word was with God, and the Word was God,” the KJV correctly refers to Christ, the Word “was God,” unlike the New World Translation which refers to the Word: “was a god.” Jesus Christ was both human and Divine. To make Him a created being is to take away from the great sacrifice of Jesus Christ who is eternal. He left heaven taking on the form of man, and died on the cross for our sins.
Jehovah’s Witnesses teach that Jesus was no more than a perfect man while on earth. On pages 28-30 of their work New Heavens and A New Earth, they teach he was an angel by the name of Michael before he came to this earth. They teach that when he went back to heaven he resumed the name Michael.
The Bible, however, teaches in Hebrews 1:1-8 that Christ is superior to the angels and is worshipped by the angels. They teach that Jehovah God created Jesus a mighty god! (Let God Be True pages 39-41; Make Sure Of All Things page 282). Their doctrine then is Paganism, two gods with one creating the other. Their doctrine denies the Deity of Christ. Notice what Jehovah’s Witnesses teach: “It proves that Michael the Archangel is no other than the only begotten Son of God, now Jesus Christ” (New Heavens and a New Earth, 1st edition, Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, copyright 1953, p. 30).
Their doctrine makes Jesus a brother to the devil. They teach, “For He was the first son that Jehovah God brought forth.” Then they say concerning the devil, “The one now the devil was not always such. Time was when he enjoyed a high position in God’s family. He was a spirit son of God” (Let God Be True, pages 32,57). Would not their doctrine imply that Jesus and the devil were brothers?
Jesus is not a created being. Hebrews 1:8 says in regard to Christ, “But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.” Acts 20:28 says the church was purchased with the blood of God. After Thomas put his hand in the nail prints and side of Jesus he declared, “And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God” (John 20:28). Jesus then was God in the flesh.
God’s love is so great for us that He did not send an angel or created being to die for us, but God in the person of Jesus Christ came to this earth to die for us. Thank you, God, for your great love and sacrifice!