Jehovah’s Witnesses deny Jesus as an everlasting being and teach that He was the first of God’s creation:

Jesus lived in heaven as a spirit person before he came to earth. He was God's first creation, and so he is called the "firstborn" Son of God. (Colossians 1:15; Revelation 3:14) Jesus is the only Son that God created by himself. Jehovah used the prehuman Jesus as his "master worker" in creating all other things in heaven and on earth. (Proverbs 8:22-31; Colossians 1:16, 17) God also used him as His chief spokesman. That is why Jesus is called "the Word."—John 1:1-3; Revelation 19:13.

(http://www.watchtower.org/library/rq/index.htm?article=article_03.htm)

In fact “their” created version New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures (NWT) is a modification of the scriptures to fit their doctrine. This way, their disciples will not have to become confused with the truth because the truth has been modified to coincide with Watchtower dogma. For example, look at John 1:1,

“In [the] beginning the Word was, and the Word was with God, and the Word was a god” (NWT).

The accurate rendering of this passage is shown in reputable translations of the Greek:

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (KJV, NKJV, NASB, YLT).

The New World Translation supplies the word “a” to conform to their doctrine. They somehow think they have the liberty to do so. Likewise, they are content to supply the word “other” to Colossians 1:16.

“because by means of him all [other] things were created in the heavens and upon the earth, the things visible and the things invisible, no matter whether they are thrones or lordships or governments or authorities. All [other] things have been created through him and for him” (N.W.T.).

They are a little more honest here where they actually place “other” in brackets suggesting that such a word is not in the original.  Paul did not teach in Colossians 1 that Jesus created “all other things” any more than John penned that Jesus was “a god.” Both of these statements are false distortions of the scripture as well as perversions of the nature of the Son of God. Paul wrote that Jesus created “all things” and John taught that Jesus “was God” and was “with God.”

The Firstborn

 “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence” (Col. 1:15-18, NKJV).

Jesus as the “firstborn” doesn’t mean that He was somehow created by God before the initial creation of the heavens and earth. Rather it is a designation of “preeminence” that a “firstborn” would have over the father’s estate and over the other siblings.

Deuteronomy 21:17,  “But he shall acknowledge the son of the unloved wife as the firstborn by giving him a double portion of all that he has, for he is the beginning of his strength; the right of the firstborn is his” (NKJV).

It is no doubt that Paul is employing this meaning of “right” and “preeminence” when describing the “firstborn” nature of Christ. Therefore Paul concludes, “. . .that in all things He may have the preeminence” (Col. 1:18). That “firstborn” is used in this figurative way elsewhere is seen in Exodus 4:22:

“Then you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the LORD: "Israel is My son, My firstborn” (NKJV).

Jesus is also called the “firstborn from the dead,” not because he was the first one ever raised from dead, as He was not.  Elijah and Elisha had been a part of resurrections previously. Jesus was the “firstborn from the dead” because He has the preeminence over all who have been raised and that he was the only to be raised to die no more. Our Lord’s resurrection was special from all other resurrections. It declared him to be the Son of God.

“And declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead” (Rom. 1:4, NKJV).

Lazarus’ resurrection, for example, didn’t declare Lazarus to be the Son of God, but our Lord’s resurrection verified all of His claims.

J. W. doctrine says, “Jesus is the only Son that God created by himself” (see quote above). They cannot prove that Jesus was created by God but only assume He was. Further, Adam was created by God to be God’s son as the clear testimony of scripture shows.

“And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being” (Gen. 2:7, NKJV).

The New Testament looks back at the creation of Adam and shows him to be the son of God.

“the son of Enos, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God” (Lk. 3:38, NKJV).

Adam was a being created directly by God but was not an “everlasting” son. Jesus is an “everlasting” without a beginning! Consider. . .

“without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, remains a priest continually” (Heb. 7:3, NKJV).

How was Melchizedek made like the Son of God? The answer is simple and forceful, by not having an origin (with parents and genealogy). Jesus as the “son of man” has a genealogy through David. But Jesus’ origin didn’t begin with Mary. He “neither had a beginning of days nor end of life.” The inspired writer continues:

“And it is yet far more evident if, in the likeness of Melchizedek, there arises another priest who has come, not according to the law of a fleshly commandment, but according to the power of an endless life” (Heb. 7:15, 16, NKJV).

There arises another priest, who like Melchizedek came according to the power of an endless life. That “other priest” is referring to Jesus. Isaiah also spoke about the everlasting nature of the Son:

“For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Is. 9:6, NKJV).

Micah agrees:

“But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Too little to be among the clans of Judah, From you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel. His goings forth are from long ago, From the days of eternity” (NASB).

We have presented abundant testimony that flies in the face of Jehovah’s Witnesses dogma.

Jesus as Michael the archangel?

Jehovah’s Witnesses also contend that Jesus is really Michael the archangel:

“The foremost angel, both in power and authority, is the archangel, Jesus Christ, also called Michael. (1 Thessalonians 4:16; Jude 9)” (http://www.watchtower.org/library/w/1995/11/1/the_truth_about_angels.htm)

Yet, in the same article as quoted above, they stated:

“However, Jesus taught his followers to pray to God, not to angels. (Matthew 6:9, 10)” (ibid).

So, if Jesus is “the foremost angel” as J. W. doctrine contends, and Jesus taught that we are to pray to God and not angels, then Jesus must not be God and must not be worthy of prayer.

This line of argumentation certainly shows that J. W. doctrine did not originate with God or the apostles. Consider that if Jesus is not worthy of prayer then many of the righteous sinned.

• Why did Stephen pray to him?  “And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.’ Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, ‘Lord, do not charge them with this sin.’ And when he had said this, he fell asleep” (Acts 7:59, 60).
  • Stephen was “calling on God” and saying “Lord Jesus. . .” Such shows that the “Lord Jesus” is worthy of prayer and therefore is not an angel.
  • This passage also shows that the “Lord Jesus” is God. So in one passage we see Jehovah Witness doctrine destroyed regarding the deity of Christ and prayer to Him.
• Why did the apostles pray to the Lord (presumably Jesus) regarding the selection of Matthias in Acts 1:24?
• Why did Paul thank Christ Jesus our Lord (1 Tim. 1:12)? I wonder how he thanked Christ without doing it in prayer?  He also pleaded with the Lord three times to have his thorn in the flesh removed in 2 Corinthians 12:8-10. How could he do that without prayer?
• Why did John pray, “Even so, come, Lord Jesus” (Rev. 22:20)?

We will readily acknowledge that angels are not worthy of prayer, but we will not affirm that Jesus is an angel. That is the dilemma that Jehovah’s Witnesses have to figure out.

Jude informs us of a confrontation between Michael the archangel and the devil:

“Yet Michael the archangel, in contending with the devil, when he disputed about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him a reviling accusation, but said, "The Lord rebuke you!” (Jude v. 9, NKJV)

If Michael is the Lord, why is he leaving Satan’s rebuke to the Lord? The  Lord rebuke you,” declared Michael!  The “who” rebuke you? The Lord! Yet, if Michael is the Lord Jesus Christ, why would he then say the Lord rebuke you? According to Jehovah’s Witnesses, Michael is the Lord Jesus, so why doesn’t Michael rebuke him?  Obviously, Michael and Jude do not endorse their doctrine.

This is further solidified when we fully appreciate the teaching of John 1:1-3.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made” (NKJV).

Some observations:

1. Jesus was in the beginning with God. No where does it teach that he was created in the beginning, but simply that he was in the beginning.
2. Jesus was God (note there is no indefinite article “a” in the original. If Jehovah’s Witnesses think this warrants them to add the “indefinite article here, why not also in verse two “He was in the beginning with [a] God”? If they are given liberty to do so to verse one, why not also verse two?)
3. All things were made through Him (Col. 1:16 adds that things in heaven and earth, visible and invisible, thrones, etc.)
4. Without Him nothing was made that was made. How much more emphatic could John be?

Now consider that Satan is a real being. He is a spiritual being that exists. Visible or invisible all things were made through Christ.  Therefore Satan was made through Christ as with the other angelic beings (see. Psalm 148:1-5). That they chose to rebel lays not fault to their Maker. But the point to consider is that if Michael is Christ (as J. W.’s contend), then Michael created Satan and the other angels. It further begs the question, “Why could he not rebuke Satan over the body of Moses?”

This short article has been written for the purpose of testing a certain aspect of Jehovah’s Witness doctrine.  We are charged to test the spirits (1 Jn. 4:1). It is also written in the hope that some who are within that denomination may receive these thoughts and begin to see the error of their way.  For clearly Jehovah’s Witnesses doctrine distorts the Christ that we worship and turns Him into a created being rather than the blessed Creator. If it were not for their rejection of the three distinct persons in the Godhead, it is doubtful that they would have created an extension of error by reducing Jesus to an angel.

• 1Corinthians 14:38, “But if anyone is ignorant, let him be ignorant.”
• 1Corinthians 16:22  “If anyone does not love the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be accursed. O Lord, come!”