Tag: jehovahs-witnesses

Is Jesus Good?

Mark 10:17-18 (ESV)  And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 18 And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.”

The question, “Is Jesus good?” seems pretty elementary.  Of course Jesus is good, but the question has some application to the above verse.  Some would say Jesus is denying His deity here, but is He?  If we see Jesus is good, then the question He asks is whether the man who knelt before Him recognized who Jesus truly was: God the Son.  At the same time, it would be an admission of deity, godhood, by Jesus.  Let’s see if Jesus is good.

Hebrews 4:15 says Jesus is without sin:

15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.

So, Jesus is without sin.  If that doesn’t prove He is good, at least He isn’t bad, is He?  But does Jesus ever claim directly to be good?  Well, in the Gospel of John, He claims to be the good shepherd:

John 10:11 (ESV)  I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

This shows His love for his sheep (followers).  That certainly points to His goodness, at least in His role as Shepherd.  There is another passage that might demonstrate more clearly just who Jesus is:

Col. 2:8-9 (ESV)  See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. 9 For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily,

This passage in Colossians would seem to present a major logical problem for those who would claim Jesus is denying His deity in Mark 10:17-18.  Let’s look at the logic of it: If all the fullness of God dwells bodily in Jesus and God is eternally and infinitely good, then Jesus is eternally and infinitely good.  If Jesus is eternally and infinitely good and the only being which is eternally and infinitely good is God, then Jesus is God. (If you’re into standard form categorical syllogisms, I’ve presented this argument in that form at the end of the post).

Why is this important?

I’m sure somewhere in the last couple of sentences, you might have said, “Boy, Mike, you’re sure getting nitpicky.”  Well, sometimes we have to get nitpicky with those who can’t see the truth right in front of them.  Jehovah’s Witnesses and others believe Mark 10:17-18 shows Jesus is denying that He is God.  From what we have seen above, both biblically and logically, it’s obvious this is not what Mark is telling us Jesus is asking.

Going back to Mark 10:17-18, the traveler is simply being asked if he recognizes Jesus as God incarnate: (ESV)  And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 18 And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.”

I agree with the psalmist:

Ps. 34:8 (ESV) Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good!

——————————————

Syllogisms

  • Premise #1a – In Jesus, all the fullness of deity dwells bodily
  • Premise #2a – Deity (God) is eternally and infinitely good.
  • Conclusion #1a – Therefore, Jesus is eternally and infinitely good.
  • Premise #1b – If Jesus is eternally and infinitely good and
  • Premise #2b – And the only being which is eternally and infinitely good is God,
  • Conclusion #1b – Then Jesus is God

Leadership

I was talking with a Jehovah’s Witness this week about the subject of leadership, elders in particular.  His view was that elders “rule” the congregation, and I can see why he believed that.  Jehovah’s Witness tend to be an oppressive group.  Elders are the law in the local congregation and see their job as bosses of all.  This is not the Biblical view, though, and I’d like to look at the Biblical Christian view of leadership in general, and eldership specifically, to see how God has laid out the church as His bride.  I think concentrating on eldership will give us a clear guide to how all types of leadership should be exercised in the church.

First let me say the terms Elder, Pastor, Overseer, and Bishop are all interchangeable when applied to the office in the local church.  The office of Christian elder is probably a carryover from the Jewish form of government.  The elders were judges who sat at the gates of the city and decided legal matters as in the cities of refuge:

Josh 20:4 (ESV)  [The man slayer] shall flee to one of these cities and shall stand at the entrance of the gate of the city and explain his case to the elders of that city. Then they shall take him into the city and give him a place, and he shall remain with them.

In the New Testament, the role is a bit different.  Remember the Old Testament was based on the Law of Moses, 633 separate laws.  The New Testament is based on the grace of God, the law of the spirit of Christ Jesus:

Rom. 8:2 (NASB)  For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death [the Law of Moses].

“But what about the Apostle Paul Timothy that elders should rule well?”

1 Tim. 5:17 (NKJV)  Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine.

Even the word rule here expresses care and concern for the flock, not for personal gain or pride.  Elders are not to rule as the world does but as Christ’s example demonstrates:

Mark 10:42-45 (CSB)  Jesus called them over and said to them, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those in high positions act as tyrants over them. 43 But it is not so among you. On the contrary, whoever wants to become great among you will be your servant, 44 and whoever wants to be first among you will be a slave to all. 45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

All leadership in the church is to be approached in this manner.  As leaders we are not to be the bosses but caretakers: shepherds who watch over the flock with care and love as servants to the flock.

Leaders in cults like Jehovah’s Witnesses can get away with this behavior because they have convinced their followers to leave the organization means severe punishment.  They face shunning by all their friends and family within the organization.  It’s suffer under the oppression of often prideful elders or suffer the solitude and loneliness of the outcast.

Why is this important?

God has given instruction for leaders in general and elders in particular. 

1 Peter 5:1-4 (NIV)  To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder, a witness of Christ’s sufferings and one who also will share in the glory to be revealed: 2 Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, serving as overseers—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve; 3 not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.

Elders are to be mature Christians, not necessarily older members of the congregation but men who know the faith and can defend it against all comers. 

Acts 20:28-29 (ESV)  Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood. 29 I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. 

If we’re in a leadership role today or will be used by God in such a position in the future, we need to remember leaders are to be servants to those we lead just as Christ is the example for us.  Worldly leaders are positioned at the top of the pyramid ruling over all below them.  Godly leaders are at the bottom of an inverted pyramid serving all those above them.

Mark 9:35 (NKJV)  And He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them,  “If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all.”