Apologetics
A young teenager wanted to know how Jesus could be God. The clergy said because that’s what we believe-accept it. That is the answer that the cults want the clergy to say. Of course that doesn’t convince anyone these days. Someday those cult members will be knocking at that person’s door and get in their house and the indoctrination begins. Let’s take the Jehovah Witnesses for example. Initially they will tell you things for which they know you will agree. You can have a discussion about how great God is. Then you can have a discussion about the really bad sins. They have been trained like a salesman and have canned answers for all the objections and questions you might have. Eventually they will find out that you are not sure who Jesus is. Then after agreeing with you on many things they will bring out their New World Translation Bible. That‘s good because everyone knows someone can be trusted who is carrying a bible. Now they have you thinking that these are bible people and finally someone is going to explain to me how Jesus can be God, and if he isn't who is he?
Now their New World Translation Bible King James Bible or any other reputable bible Christian churches may use. I read and actually was sent an e-mail stating that their bible scholars have found over 10,000 errors in our bibles that all the others bible scholars over the centuries mistranslated and they have been corrected in their bible. The first thing they are going to do is open their bible to 1 Thessalonians 4:16 that says, “For the Lord himself will come from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God.” They will show you that the Lord’s voice is that of an angel and that Jesus is really Michael the Archangel. Let’s face the fact that it does say with the voice of an archangel. They are absolutely correct. Now let’s see where the mistake is they are making.
I knew what they were going to say before I invited them into my house. These people are cocky and really think they know their bible and you will see have no knowledge of Jewish customs. The question I asked them is if they knew much about Jewish weddings. Now the two I invited in were interested in what I was telling them. I believe they thought I would give them more confirmation that Jesus is Michael the Archangel. They basically said isn’t it like any other wedding. The next question I asked them is why Joseph was going to give Mary a writ of divorce when they weren’t even married. They just sat there and said they never thought about that but, it was interesting to them.
My time came as I saw two Jehovah Witnesses coming to my door. I know that sometimes they are overconfident in what they were taught at their training. I also know relatives could be praying for them to come to the gospel Paul taught. I felt an obligation to courteously invite them in the house and sit at the kitchen table. They were two gentleman named Mike and Tony. As we were introducing ourselves I asked them if they had left another church to join the Jehovah Witnesses. Mike had been a Southern Baptist and Tony had been Catholic. They didn't seem deeply indoctrinated and I felt I could reason with them. I knew we both agreed on 1 Thessalonians 4:16 as it was the same in both our bibles.
Sure enough after our brief chat they showed me 1 Thessalonians 4:16. I took the lead and asked them if they knew much about the Jewish weddings. I made it sound like I was anxious to them about the wedding because I actually was anxious. I took time and explained that Mary was betrothed to Joseph. I asked them why Joseph was going to divorce Mary when they weren't even married yet? They did understand that Jesus was Jewish but they didn't know there was a major difference between an engagement and a betrothal. I explained that betrothal was actually a contract for a future marriage. It was more than an engagement. If one of the partners changed their intentions previous to marriage they could face a monetary penalty. A writ of divorce could only be initiated by a man. They were considered man and wife between the time of the betrothal and the marriage. Mike and Tony actually were interested in this information because it didn’t interfere with their future indoctrination. I was also trying to build credibility with them.
I then explained before the marriage could take place the groom had to prepare a place for the bride. Mike said I think there is something where Jesus said I go to prepare a place for you. Then Tony said that he remembered something like that also. Usually the groom would build a separate room on his father’s property or actually decorate a room in his father’s house. Usually this building project would take the better part of a year. The final judge of when the building was ready was the groom’s father.
In the meantime the bride would be waiting every night with an oil lamp in case the groom came at night. At this point I thought I better ask them if they knew the Church was the bride of Christ which they did know. I knew that came from their previous churches they attended. Later on when the place to live might be prepared, the bride and her sisters and bridesmaids would sit and wait for that possible time when the place would be finished. The bride had her veil ready and sometimes actually slept in her wedding dress.
Then the big moment would arrive and the father of the groom approved the prepared place. I asked Mike and Tony who makes the toast at a wedding. They did know it was the best man. As a custom of courtesy the best man would shout to give the bride a little time to get ready. It would never be the groom. That would be like the groom making a toast to himself at his wedding.
They were someone dumbfounded because the archangel was simply the best man when Christ comes to get his bride. Therefore, the voice that they heard was that of the best man and not the groom.
They left that day a little less sure than when I invited them in. They needed time to think. They weren’t told this. Maybe someday it will lead them to the gospel Paul taught. I gave them information and we can only depend on the Holy Spirit to convict them and give them eternal life. I invited them back if they ever wanted to talk again.
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