A CONVERSATION WITH JESUS CHRIST

“Jesus, I would like to ask you some questions, if I may.”

“Certainly.”

“First, are you God?”

“Why do you ask that?”

“Because it’s a common belief among many who claim to be Christians.”

“But is that what the Bible actually reveals about me?”

“I don’t know.”

“Well, let’s examine what I myself said in Scripture, yes?”

“Sure.”

“Do you have a Bible handy?”

“No.”

“Ipad?”

“Yes.”

“Wifi?”

“Yes.”

“Okay. If you go to biblegateway.com you could select the NKJVersion to look up what I said to Mary Magdelene after my resurrection. It’s recorded at John 20:17. What do I say to her there?”

“Aaah, here it is. “Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.’ ””

“Thank you. So, according to what I said there, who do I identify as being both my God and your God?”

“Ummm... your Father?”

“Correct. So does that answer your question?”

“I’m not sure.”

“Why?”

“Because, growing up as a Presbyterian I was always taught that you are a co-equal part of a triune godhead.”

“Yes, a common teaching, but is it Bible based?”

“I don’t know.”

“Unfortunately, mis-translations combined with faulty renderings of Scripture have served to muddy the divine waters of truth. For example, at John 1:1 the NKJV reads, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Now, in my pre-human existence I was the Word. So then, from that text it would seem that I am, in fact, God, true?”

“Yes.”

“But then note what it says in the very next verse, 2: “He was in the beginning WITH God.” If I am WITH God, how can I BE God?”

“I don’t know. It’s very confusing.”

“I agree. It is confusing when, because you have a preconceived agenda, you start messing with the original language texts.”

“How do you mean?”

“The New Testament Scriptures were written in Koine or Common Greek. When King James' Classical Greek scholars compiled the New Testament of the King James Version they did so with a preconceived agenda, attempting to justify the triune godhead teaching.”

“Oh.”

“If you look at the MOUNCE Reverse Interlinear NT at biblegateway.com you can see the Koine Greek text in the Latinized alpha digits that you use in your alphabet today.”

“So, that means I will be able to understand it?”

“Yes. Instead of the Greek letters they employ your alphabet letters.”

“Cool. Let’s have a look here. Oh, I see what you mean... but it is still translated as “and the Word was God”.”

“Yes, that’s because the MOUNCE translators are Trinitarians. But I want you to look at the Latinized Koine Greek words. Note, for example, how “ho logos” is rendered into English.”

“Aaah... “the Word”.”

“Correct. The Koine Greek word for “the” is “ho”. What about “ho theos”?”

“God.”

“Correct. It is rendered “God” even though, to be exact, it would be “the God”. Now look at the instance where I am referred to as God. Do you see “ho theos” there?”

“No. Just “theos.”

“Exactly. And because there is no indefinite article in Koine Greek, no ‘a’, the absence of the definite article, ‘the’, requires that the indefinite article applies. So that text properly rendered should be, “and the Word was a god”.”

“So... you are still a god but not the God?”

“Exactly. Type Psalm 90:2, select the KJVersion and see what it says about God himself.”

“Psalm 90:2 reads, “Before the mountains were brought forth, Or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, Even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.””

“So, according to that text, has God always existed?”

“Yes.”

“Now, type Colossians 1:15 and see what it says concerning me.”

“Okay. It reads, “Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature.””

“Let me ask you, is God a ‘creature’?”

“Ummm, I don’t know.”

“Common sense should dictate that a creature is something created, yes?”

“I guess so.”

“If God is from everlasting to everlasting is he created?”

“Logically, no, but how can that be?”

“You ask that because it defies everything you see around you, true?”

“Exactly.”

“Then let me ask you about something you can see around you: where does the universe start and end?”

“Ha ha. Point made.”

“Just because you don’t understand how something can be so does not mean it isn’t so.

Now, you mentioned that you grew up as a Presbyterian, so as a Presbyterian which two Scriptural passages would you say were most frequently quoted?”

“The Lord’s prayer and John 3:16.”

“From the King James Version, yes?”

“Yes.”

“Look those two up, starting with John 3:16. What do I say there?”

“It says, “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.””

“Thank you. So, who do you understand to be the ‘only begotten Son’?”

“You.”

“Correct. And who does it say ‘gave’ me?”

“God.”

“So if God ‘gave’ me as HIS ‘only begotten Son’, how does that make ME God?”

“Beats me.”

“Let’s go back to the book of John so we can clear something up. Look at John 1:18 in the MOUNCE version.”

“Okay.”

“Now, what does it say in English?”

“No one has ever seen God. The only Son, himself God, the one who is in the bosom of the Father, he has made him known.”

“Let’s dissect that. First of all it states that, ‘No one has ever seen God’. Did people see me?”

“Yes, of course, as a man.”

“So there is an obvious inconsistency. Yet at 2 Timothy 3:16 the apostle Paul was inspired to record that, “All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness.” That begs the question: how is Scripture ‘profitable for correction’ if it is inconsistent with itself?”

“Umm, I don’t know.”

“Okay, so let’s look at the Latinized Koine Greek text used at John 1:18 where the MOUNCE translators have rendered it as ‘The only Son, himself God’. There are two KGreek words used there, ‘monogenēs’ and ‘theos’. Note, it does not say ‘ho theos’. ‘Monogenēs’ means ‘only begotten’. So that text should read “The only begotten god,” not “The only Son, himself God”. ‘Son’ in KGreek is ‘hios’ not ‘theos’. And now, guess what?”

“What?”

“That Scripture makes sense, because now it reads, “No one has ever seen God. The only begotten god, the one who is in the bosom of the Father, he has made him known.”

“Yes, that makes sense.”

“Now, you mentioned earlier the Lord’s prayer or model prayer that I gave, as recorded at Matthew 6:9-13. Do you remember how that starts?”

“Sure. “Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.””

“So what is our Heavenly Father’s name?”

“I didn’t know he needed one.”

“Okay, at biblegateway.com let’s use the American Standard Version at Isaiah 64:8. What does that tell us?”

“Isaiah 64:8. “But now, O Jehovah, thou art our Father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.””

“So, according to that text, what is our Heavenly Father’s name?”

“Jehovah.”

“Correct. Now, aside from being our Heavenly Father, let’s see who Jehovah also is. Exodus 6:3.”

“Okay. Exodus 6:3 reads, “and I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, as God Almighty; but by my name Jehovah I was not known to them.”

“So, aside from being our Heavenly Father, Jehovah is also?”

“God Almighty.”

“Excellent. And if you want to further verify who Jehovah is you can also check out Psalms 83:18 and Isaiah 42:8 in the ASVersion.”

“Okay. But how come I can’t check other Bible versions for God’s name?”

“Because, for the most part, the name Jehovah has been removed.”

“Why?”

“Spreading discord and confusion is something Satan has proven to be very good at, as evidenced by the fact that the vast majority of Bible believers hold that I and my father, together with his active force, the holy spirit, combine to make a triune godhead, despite what is clearly stated at Genesis 1:27 and 6:7, for example.”

“Okay. Genesis 1:27 reads, “And God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.””

“Is God there described in the third person SINGULAR or third person plural?”

“Singular. ‘His’ and ‘he’.”

“What about at Genesis 6:7? Try the NKJV this time.”

“Okay. It reads, “So the LORD said, “I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them.””

“Is that first person SINGULAR or first person plural?”

“Singular. The LORD says ‘I’ four times.”

“Correct.”

“But who is ‘the LORD’?”

“That is our Father, Jehovah.”

“So why have they used ‘the LORD’ instead?”

“Remember what I said about Satan and his designs? The producers of those Bible versions that use ‘the LORD’ instead of my Father’s name where it appears over 6,970 times in the Old Testament will claim that we cannot know for sure how to pronounce that name so it is better not to use it. But recall what I said in the opening words of that model prayer?”

“Yes. "Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.”"

“What does ‘hallowed’ mean?”

“I’ll google it. It says, “made holy; consecrated, greatly revered and honored”.”

“How would it be possible to greatly revere and honor our Father’s name if we don’t use it and even deny it?”

“I get that. But why do so many people not recognize the name Jehovah?”

“Many scholars will claim that it is impossible to know for sure how the four Hebrew letters – Yod He Waw He - that comprise God’s name should be pronounced. Yet those same scholars have no difficulty in consistently rendering the first three letters – Yod He Waw – as ‘Jeho’ in English. Check any English Bible version and you will see names like Jehoram, Jehoshaphat, Jehohanan, Jehoash, Jehosheba, Jehoiada, Jehoaddan, Jehozadak, Jehoahaz, etcetera, that all commence Yod He Waw. Why would Bible publishers readily accept those renderings but then proceed to remove my Father’s name and substitute it with a title—the LORD?”

“It sounds like they are unwittingly doing Satan’s bidding.”

“Precisely. And showing Satan's influence do you know what I referred to him as at John 14:30?”

“No.”

“The ruler of the world. Indeed, at 2 Corinthians 4:4 the apostle Paul was inspired to label him ‘the god of this world’. So even Satan may be described as a god, as I am.”

“But is that how first century Christians saw you?”

“Excellent question. Check out 1 Corinthians 8:6.”

“It reads, “yet to us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we unto him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and we through him.” So first century Christians believed in one God, the Father, and you are described here as ‘one Lord’, aren’t you?”

“Correct. Indeed, verse 5 ends, “there are many lords and many gods”, so can you see how substituting Jehovah’s name with ‘the LORD’ would muddy the waters?”

“I guess so. But when it says, “one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things” what does that mean?”

“Ah, yes. You recall at John 3:16 that I said I am God’s only begotten Son?”

“Yes.”

“Job 38:7 reveals that there are many angelic sons of God. But I am the only one who was directly created by Jehovah himself, hence, God’s only begotten Son. So how did all those other angelic sons of God come into existence?”

“Please tell me.”

“In my pre-human existence Jehovah used me to create them as well as everything else in creation. That’s why 1 Corinthians 8:6 says, “one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things”. Indeed, in speaking about me at John 1:3 even the MOUNCE version correctly renders the KGreek word ‘chōris’ as ‘apart from’ rather than how many Trinitarian inspired versions incorrectly render it, as ‘without’. Would you like to see for yourself?”

“Sure. It reads, “All things were created by him, and apart from him, not a single thing was created that has been created”. Oh. Okay. So, apart from you yourself, you created all other things?”

“Yes, although it would be more accurate to say that ‘all things were created through me’, as that other text makes clear. If you check out Proverbs 8:22-31 in the ASV you will see in verse 30 where it refers to me as Jehovah’s “master workman”.

So then, is there anything else you would like to ask me?”

“The obvious one, I suppose. What happens when we die?”

“What do you understand happens?”

“I was always taught that if you’re good then when you die you go to heaven and if you’re bad you’ll be tormented night and day forever in a fiery hell.”

“Okay. First of all, 1 John 4:8 says that “God is love” and Deuteronomy 32:4 says that God is perfect in justice. So, consider this scenario. You have lived a quiet life, respecting your fellow man. Then, at age 50, due to your imperfection, you suffer a sickness that causes you to become emotionally unstable. You rob, you steal, and during one manic episode, you go out and shoot up half the town. The police track you down and, after a shootout, you are deceased. Your reign of terror has lasted on and off for five years, so based on your own understanding you will be consigned to everlasting torment in a fiery hell, correct?”

“Hmmm. Not sure.”

“No, you’re unsure because your own sense of justice tells you that five years of badness doesn’t equate to everlasting torment in a fiery hell, true?”

“True.”

“So why would a God of love and perfect justice, in whose image you were created with those same qualities, feel any different to you?”

“Oh. Okay. Sounds fair. But where did that belief spring from?”

“A misunderstanding of what my Father directed me to give to the apostle John in Revelation, where symbolisms have been incorrectly interpreted as having a literal application. For example, at Revelation 20:10 Satan is said to be thrown into the lake of fire, yet he is a spirit, immune to heat, as Exodus 3:2 demonstrates. Also death is said to be hurled into the lake of fire. How can you burn death? Instead, Revelation 20:14 states that the lake of fire means “the second death”, that is, one from which no resurrection is possible—permanent cessation of existence.”

“So what really happens at death?”

“Ecclesiastes 9:5,10 says that there is no consciousness in the grave. At John 11:11 I spoke about my friend Lazarus as being asleep when he had actually died. When, after four days, I resurrected him, nowhere did he remonstrate with me for having ripped him away from some supposed heavenly bliss. Why? Because he was dead. In verse 24 his sister, Martha, said of him, “I know he will rise in the last day”. She understood that her deceased brother would be resurrected at a time in the future. At Acts 24:15 in the KJV the apostle Paul wrote under inspiration that, “there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust.” Why the unjust as well as the just? Because Romans 6:7 says that “the one who has died has been acquitted from his sin.” The unjust are given the opportunity to be judged post resurrection according to their deeds at that time.”

“But where?”

“Right here on earth. That’s why Daniel 7:13,14 foretold my role as king of God’s Kingdom, over “peoples, nations and languages”. Let me ask you, where are “peoples, nations and languages”? Heaven or earth?”

“Earth?”

“Correct. That’s why in the model prayer I gave it goes on to say, “thy Kingdom come; thy will be done on EARTH as it is in heaven”. That wasn’t just wishful thinking on my part. I knew my Father’s unchangeable purpose for earth because at Isaiah 55:11 he states that when he declares something that he delights in, it’s guaranteed. At Genesis 1:28 did he bless the first human pair? Yes. Did he say in verse 31 that the creation was “very good”? Yes. If Adam and Eve had not sinned would they still be alive on earth today? According to Genesis 2:17, yes. My Father took delight in that original purpose for his creation of humankind. That purpose is unchanged, as Revelation 21:3,4 reveals.”

“Wow! This is all quite liberating, isn’t it?”

“Yes, as I said at John 8:32, “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

“I want to be able to say, “I’M FREE.”

“Then listen to those who come to your door in my Father’s name.”

“You mean Jehovah’s Witnesses?”

“Yes.”

“But most people don’t listen to them.”

“Noah had the same problem, as I alluded to at Matthew 24:36-39 concerning your day. The fact is they are listening to my direction at Matthew 10:14 where I say, “If anyone does not listen to your words, on going out of that HOUSE or that city shake the dust off your feet.” Did my disciples go to homes only when invited? If the householder didn’t listen, obviously not.”

“Please, anyone but them!”

“I cannot make you go against your heart’s inclination. You have been created with free will. But there’s a reason why I said what I did at Matthew 7:13,14...”

“Tch!”