Is the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society’s teaching of The Resurrection Biblical?
From their earliest beginnings it was taught:
“We deny that He was raised in the flesh, and challenge any statement to that effect as being unscriptural” [Studies in the Scriptures, vol. 1, p. 57]
Below we compare their teachings with the Holy Bible.
The Watchtower Teaches
Jesus was raised from the dead as an invisible spirit creature and not with a fleshly body.
“Christ gave up his body as a sacrifice. He could never take it back and become a man again.” [You Can Live Forever in Paradise on Earth, p. 142 – under illustration]
“The King, Christ Jesus, was put to death in the flesh and was resurrected an invisible spirit creature.” [Let God Be True, p. 122]
“The human body of flesh, which Jesus Christ laid down forever as a ransom sacrifice was disposed of by God’s power.” [Things in Which it is Impossible for God to Lie, p. 354]
The Bible Teaches
Jesus was raised from the dead with His own physical body.
For David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep, and was laid among his fathers and underwent decay; but He whom God raised did not undergo decay. Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through Him forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. [Acts 13:36-38 NASB, cf. Psalm 16:10]
But he (David) was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne. Seeing what was ahead, he spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to the grave, nor did his body see decay. God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact. [Acts 2:30-31 NIV]
Jesus answered them, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.'' The Jews then said, "It took forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?'' But He was speaking of the temple of His body. So when He was raised from the dead, His disciples remembered that He said this; and they believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had spoken. [John 2:19-22 NASB]
Note: When the word body (soma in Greek) is used in reference to a person, it always means a physical body in the New Testament.
Jesus was not raised as an invisible spirit creature.
But they were terrified and frightened, and supposed they had seen a spirit. And He said to them, "Why are you troubled? And why do doubts arise in your hearts? Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. Handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have. [Luke 24:37-39 NKJV]
Why Is the Resurrection of the Flesh Important?
Jesus’ sacrifice fully paid for the sins of man.
For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. [1 Timothy 2:5 NIV]
He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification. [Romans 4:25 NIV]
We know for certain of our bodily resurrection.
The creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. [Romans 8:21-23 NIV]
Even after my skin is destroyed, Yet from my flesh I shall see God. [Job 19:26 NASB]
Who Are You Going to Believe, The Watchtower or Jesus?
Jesus Said:
“I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies.” [John 11:25 NIV]
Whose Voice Will You Listen To?
Jesus Said:
“Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice.” [John 5:28 NIV]
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14.09 | 00:17
Is it your intent to share your faith with me? I'm a devout Latter-day Saint.
30.06 | 17:21
Let's add, the keys to Death and Hades (Revelation 1:18) the key of David (Rev. 3:7) the key of knowledge (Luke 11:52) and the keys of the kingdom of heaven (Matt.16:19) only given to Simon/Peter.
24.05 | 06:04
Intuitive
10.02 | 23:31
Checked out the great video. 👍 Thumbs up!
The Mormon Religion was officially founded by Joseph Smith Jr. on April 6. 1830 after the Book of Mormon (BOM) was published in that same year.
Joseph Smith Jr. was born in Vermont on December 23, 1805. He claimed that when he was 14, he received a vision from God the Father and Jesus Christ in a grove of trees near his home where he received instructions not to join any of the Christian churches because they were all wrong.
Three years later, Smith claimed that an angel named Moroni (a character found in the BOM) appeared to him in his bedroom whom he said revealed to him that he was selected to translate "Reformed Egyptian" (a language that does not exist) from gold plates into old English. These plates were supposedly hidden near Palmyra, New York and are said to be written around the 4th century. The BOM was named after Moroni’s father, Mormon. Mormons view the BOM as sacred. No one is able to study the original plates because Joseph Smith claimed the angel took them back on May 2, 1838 (History of the Church 1:60).
Smith had a scribe named Cowdery. Smith did not actually translate directly from any plates. Rather, in his writings, he said he placed a "seer stone" in a hat and covered any light from entering it as he placed his face in the hat. According to Martin Harris, “By aid of the seer stone, sentences would appear and were read by the Prophet . . . , and when finished he would say, ‘Written,’ and if correctly written, that sentence would disappear and another appear in its place, but if not written correctly it remained until corrected,” Smith said, “By the power of God I translated the Book of Mormon from hieroglyphics".
Despite such methods of translation, there have been at least 3,913 changes made in the BOM from the time it was first published. Joseph Smith stated, “I told the brethren that the Book of Mormon was the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book.” Smith also claimed that John the Baptist appeared to him on May 15, 1829 while he was translating the BOM, and instructed him to restore the church by preaching the only true gospel.
Mormons regard the BOM as sacred writings, and view it in higher standing than that of the Holy Bible. Mormon Missionaries will ask you to pray that it is true. (See our page Pray to Know)