Research carefully!
Can we worship Jesus?

by one, the Jehovah's Witnesses are dear to his heart

Research carefully!

Who is Jesus?

Who is Jesus? To learn more about Jesus Christ, we should also investigate how people who lived in union with God, have dealt with Him. In this paper, it shall be about whether people can pray directly to Jesus Christ.

The series of "Search carefully" is to encourage you to read the Bible faithfully. When the Apostle Paul came to Berea (Acts 17, 10-11), people believed him, not because he is a special authority, but because they have carefully examined his statements on the basis of Scripture. This setting is praised by God's word and by God Himself as "noble".

God thus has no difficulty in people rethinking on the basis of his word and changing their faith life.

Unless otherwise stated, the biblical passages are taken from the New World Translation (NW) of the Jehovah's Witnesses. Where this is not the case, the New International Version (NIV) is used. This is as follows: The name Jehovah is not found in the basic text of the Christian Greek Scriptures (New Testament), but in the (NW) it was inserted for more than 200 times. The result is that the reader imputes some statements to God the Father, where the biblical connection aims to the son.

God says very clearly that every person can and should pray to him.

Psalms 50, 15 And call me in the day of distress. I shall rescue you, and you will glorify me.

All people should call God.

All people who are in distress, are encouraged to call God. Now, if someone experienced the help of God, the conversation with God will be furthermore important to him. He will glorify God then. God desires that we pray to him. The Bible is full of events which make it clear that believing people pray to God.

The thought-provoking Impulse

"What does the Bible really teach?" This book, which has issued the religious community of Jehovah's Witnesses, is written to give the thought-provoking impulses on the subject: "Mai we pray to Jesus?". In chapter 17 "Come closer to God in prayer" is in paragraph 9:

9 To whom should we pray? Jesus taught his followers to pray: "Our Father in heaven ..." (Matthew 6:9). We can therefore only direct our prayers to "our Father", Jehovah God. However, Jehovah expects us to recognize the position of his Only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ.

The question on this section is: To whom should we pray, and through whom? The answer from this section should thus been read: We should only pray to Jehovah God.

The "hearer of prayer." The entire Bible report bears witness that prayers should be directed only to Jehovah (Psalm 5:1, 2; Mat 6:9) that he is the "hearer of prayer" (Ps 65:2, 66:19 ) and that he has the power to do something for the petitioners (Mar 11:24, Eph 3:20). Those who pray to false gods and their idols, are exposed as foolish, for idols can neither hear nor act, and the gods they represent, are unworthy to be compared with the true God. (Volume 1 S.851)

Abstract

It must be prayed solely and exclusively to Jehovah God.
A prayer that is addressed directly to Jesus Christ, is thus forbidden.

Research carefully! How do you pray?

Psalms 91, 15 He will call upon me, and I shall answer him. I shall be with him in distress. I shall rescue him and glorify him.

Psalms 145: 18 Jehovah is near to all those calling upon him, to all those who call upon him in trueness.

These passages of the scriptures make one thing very clear: Calling is praying. We are praying to God when we call Him. (See also 2.Sam.22,4; Ps.80,18; Ps.86,5-6; Ps.99,6 and many more.) Now we can say: God is called by praying or speaking to him. Jehovah is one and therefore any attempt is ruled out trying to prove that it is also prayed to Christ.

But does also the Bible show this human logical conclusion? Could it be that our minds can not grasp (Proverbs 3, 5) the greatness of God (Isaiah 55,8-9)? Do His disciples pray to their Lord Jesus?

1. Corinthians 1, 1-2 Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through God's will, and Sosthenes our brother 2 to the congregation of God that is in Corinth, to YOU who have been sanctified in union with Christ Jesus, called to be holy ones, together with all who everywhere are calling upon the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours.

Christ is called! He is called by all the saints, i.e. by all Christians! The Greek word "epjkaloumenois", which is used in 1 Corinthians 1.2, means the caller. Thus, Christians are designated as the "callers of the name of Jesus." Or, in other words, Christians are the to Jesus praying ones.

In the New Testament "epjkaloumenois" i.e. "call" is used for God, the Father. He is thus called just as the son.

1. Peter 1, 17 Furthermore, if YOU are calling upon the Father who judges impartially according to each one's work, conduct yourselves with fear during the time of YOUR alien residence.

Some try to distinguish between calling the Father and calling the Son. It is said that only the father is called, and only through the Lord Jesus. In practice this means that the father is the sole address man is worshiping. To him, the father alone is spoken in prayer. Only to Him are offered the praise of thanksgiving and prayers. The Lord Jesus is to make this prayer agreeable for the father. So we pray at the end: "in the name of thy beloved Son Jesus Christ".

The father is seen pictured the one who is the addressee of the letter and the Lord Jesus is the stamp that makes the letter valid and carries it to the recipient. Or, the Lord Jesus is like the telephone line or the telephone and the father is the one who is called by the phone call. Stamp The Father picks up the phone and with Him is spoken. There is this difference in "Calling" really? Is it wrong if you start a prayer like this: "Lord Jesus Christ, I thank you that you have sacrificed yourself for me."?

EIGHT references that is prayed to Jesus

The Bible is not only a book that says that you should pray. It also shows how the early Christians have prayed. The theory can be learned in the former practice. How was it for the first Christians?

1. Count - The Way Christians Worship

Festus, the Roman authority over the city of Caesarea, has a problem. His predecessor, Felix had left the Apostle Paul in prison. Since there is no clear count of an indictment of the Romans, Festus, is discussing the whole thing with King Agrippa. He says of the Jews:

Acts 25, 19 They simply had certain disputes with him concerning their own worship of the deity and concerning a certain Jesus who was dead but who Paul kept asserting was alive.

So that was known: the Jews pray in a different way than the Christians.

2. The Incident - Ananias and Paul

Acts 9, 13 to 22 13 But Ananias answered: "Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how many injurious things he did to your holy ones in Jerusalem. 14 And here he has authority from the chief priests to put in bonds all those calling upon your name." 15 But the Lord said to him: "Be on your way, because this man is a chosen vessel to me to bear my name to the nations as well as to kings and the sons of Israel. 16 For I shall show him plainly how many things he must suffer for my name." 17 So Ananias went off and entered into the house, and he laid his hands upon him and said: "Saul, brother, the Lord, the Jesus that appeared to you on the road over which you were coming, has sent me forth, in order that you may recover sight and be filled with holy spirit." 18 And immediately there fell from his eyes what looked like scales, and he recovered sight; and he rose and was baptized, 19 and he took food and gained strength. He got to be for some days with the disciples in Damascus, 20 and immediately in the synagogues he began to preach Jesus, that this One is the Son of God. 21 But all those hearing him gave way to astonishment and would say: "Is this not the man that ravaged those in Jerusalem who call upon this name, and that had come here for this very purpose, that he might lead them bound to the chief priests?" 22 But Saul kept on acquiring power all the more and was confounding the Jews that dwelt in Damascus as he proved logically that this is the Christ.

For this text, it is clear:

Ananias speaks with the Lord Jesus and is sent by Him to Paul
Christians are defined as "those who call this name"

With this name, the name Jesus is meant. The Christians were not distinguished from the Jews by the fact that they used the name Jehovah in prayer, but the outstanding feature was the prayer to Jesus. This made the Christians for the Jews worthy of persecution. It is worth noting in this context that Paul should bear the name of Jesus to the nations and suffer for him.

3. The Death of Stephen

Acts 7:55-60 (NIV) 55 But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 56 Look, he said, I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God. 57 At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him, 58 dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul. 59 While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. 60 Then he fell on his knees and cried out, Lord, do not hold this sin against them. When he had said this, he fell asleep.

The biblical text shows:

Stephen is full of the Holy Spirit and thus in accordance with the will of God.
He prays directly to Jesus. Also in the student's edition (NW), this is given in a footnote with "called" or "prayed".
Unfortunately, the (NW) applied arbitrarily in verse 60 the word "Jehovah" instead of the actual notation "Lord". Thus, the reader of the (NW) believes that the request for the forgiveness of sins is addressed to the father and not to the son. But the relation in the text doesn't make this clear.

Interlinear Acts 7, verses 55-60

4. The Recommendation of the Apostle John

1. John 5, 13-15 13 I write YOU these things that YOU may know that YOU have life everlasting, YOU who put YOUR faith in the name of the Son of God. 14 And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that, no matter what it is that we ask according to his will, he hears us. 15 Further, if we know he hears us respecting whatever we are asking, we know we are to have the things asked since we have asked them of him.

Christians believe in the person (the name) of the Lord Jesus. They have compared to Him that He hears them. They pray to him and ask things of him. This makes it clear that we should not only pray to the Father through Jesus, but also directly to the Son of God!

5. The Prayer of Paul

What does that mean in practice? Paul explains it in his 2nd Letter to the Corinthians clearly. Here, he explains, how and to whom he prayed.

2. Korinther 12, 7-9 7 Therefore, that I might not feel overly exalted, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, an angel of Satan, to keep slapping me, that I might not be overly exalted. 8 In this behalf I three times entreated the Lord that it might depart from me; 9 and yet he really said to me: "My undeserved kindness is sufficient for you; for [my] power is being made perfect in weakness." Most gladly, therefore, will I rather boast as respects my weaknesses, that the power of the Christ may like a tent remain over me.

Paul asks the Lord, i.e. he prays to the Lord. That Lord replies by saying "... My strength is made perfect in weakness." Paul shows that the strength of the Lord is the strength of Christ. The only possible conclusion from this section is: Paul prays to Jesus.

6. The Words of Jesus Christ

Matthew 11, 28 28 Come to me, all YOU who are toiling and loaded down, and I will refresh YOU.

The Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures

How you can now come directly to Jesus Christ, if not by an address by prayer? How can I unload the trouble if I can not pronounce? Today, you can also pray to Christ, as John Paul has recommended it, and how he practiced. The Lord Jesus asked directly about (John 14, 14). Unfortunately, the (NW) doesn't have the little word "me" not in the text. However, the Interliniar Translation of the Jehovah's Witnesses makes clear that it is in the basic text.

Interlinear John 14, 14

Thus says the Lord Jesus: "All you ask me in my name, I'll do that". This can and should happen today.

7. Comparison

Revelation 5, 8-14 8. ... And when he took the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, having each one a harp and golden bowls that were full of incense, and the [incense] means the prayers of the holy ones. 9 And they sing a new song, saying: "You are worthy to take the scroll and open its seals, because you were slaughtered and with your blood you bought persons for God out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, 10 and you made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God, and they are to rule as kings over the earth." 11 And I saw, and I heard a voice of many angels around the throne and the living creatures and the elders, and the number of them was myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, 12 saying with a loud voice: "The Lamb that was slaughtered is worthy to receive the power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing." 13 And every creature that is in heaven and on earth and underneath the earth and on the sea, and all the things in them, I heard saying: "To the One sitting on the throne and to the Lamb be the blessing and the honor and the glory and the might forever and ever." 14 And the four living creatures went saying: "Amen!" and the elders fell down and worshiped.

Revelation 7, 11-12 11 And all the angels were standing around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell upon their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12 saying: "Amen! The blessing and the glory and the wisdom and the thanksgiving and the honor and the power and the strength [be] to our God forever and ever. Amen."

New World Translation of the Christian Greek Scriptures

The biblical passage Revelation 7, 11-12 shows how to worship God. One prays to God by speaking to him in great awe! The content of the prayer to God the Father and the content of the prayer, which received the Lamb, are almost 100% identical. Before him were even symbolically placed the prayers of the saints.

In Revelation 5, 13-14, even is done no difference between the worship of God the Father and the worship of the lamb. It is also important to note that the elders can see the father and the son directly. Thus, the argument is eliminated, only then can be worshiped, if the relative person is not seen.

8. Angels worship Jesus

Hebrews 1, 6 6 But when he again brings his Firstborn into the inhabited earth, he says: "And let all God's angels do obeisance to him."

In this section, the claim is made that all the angels, without exception, will worship the firstborn of God, who is the Lord Jesus. The word "render homage" is in Greek "proskynäsatohsan". This is usually translated as worship, such as Offb.14, 7; 1.Kor.14, 25; Lk.4, 8, John 4, 21 and many more. Also, the (NW) in its edition of 1963, has here the word worship.

As biblical people pray to Jesus, it is clear that neither he can be the Archangel Michael nor another created being. Otherwise, then all Christians would have violated the terms of Kol.2, 18 and Rom.1, 25th

Research carefully! How important is the Name of Jesus?

Peter and John stand after the healing of a paralytic (Apg.3) in front of the Sanhedrin (Apg.4) to answer for themselves. Here Peter speaks in terms of Christ (Apg.4 ,10-11) this sentence:

Acts 4, 12 12 Furthermore, there is no salvation in anyone else, for there is not another name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must get saved.

But only the name Jesus, i.e. Jesus as a person can save the people for God's kingdom. Without Christ, man is lost hopelessly. On 1st Chapter of John's Gospel is reported that Jesus Christ came into this world and experienced rejection (John 1 ,10-11). In this context, there is also a wonderful promise:

John 1, 12 12 However, as many as did receive him, to them he gave authority to become God's children, because they were exercising faith in his name;

Humans can come into the family of God when they receive the Lord Jesus by faith into his life. The Son of God is determined to administrate the life of man by the forgiveness of sins and by the authority of kingdom. This also means that any can take up (no matter how many) Christ and not only just a specific group.

Abstract:

By these eight indicators is shown that prayer is not a side issue, but it is a fact of Christian life. Moreover, it is clear that Christians pray to Jesus Christ. Prayer to Jesus Christ, was the sign of recognition for their persecutors. The fact that these people were praying to Jesus, might be one reason that they were known by others with the term "Christians" (Apg.11, 26).

How can receive the man Jesus?

The apostle and missionary Paul writes in his Epistle to the Romans:

Romans 10, 4-13 (NIV) 4 Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes. 5 Moses describes in this way the righteousness that is by the law: The man who does these things will live by them. 6 But the righteousness that is by faith says: Do not say in your heart, 'Who will ascend into heaven?' (that is, to bring Christ down) 7 or 'Who will descend into the deep?' (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). 8 But what does it say? The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart, that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming: 9 That if you confess with your mouth, Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. 11 As the Scripture says, Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame. 12 For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile - the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, 13 for, Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

The focus of this text is the Lord Jesus. He is the end of the law. No one can come to Him by human efforts. Faith alone is necessary for this. He makes the human justified. The content of this justifying faith is: Jesus is the risen Lord. This is imperative to believe and confess personally.

Now the from God inspired Paul applies posts from the Old Testament to the faith in Jesus. Verse 11: Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame. - Verse 12: Jesus is Lord over all. (See Mt.28:18) - Verses 12 b+13: Jesus saves who pray to Him.

Interlinear Romans 10,13

As shown in the interlinear translation, is held in the verse 13, "Lord" instead of "Jehovah". Although this verse is also known from Joel 3:5, but one must always see it in context. Examples of this situation are the passages Hebr.2 .5 to 9 and Ps.8 ,4-10. Although in both texts there is almost the same wording, the Hebrew text is specifically for Christ and the verses in Psalm 8, for the people in general.

Therefore, if a man wants to be saved for the kingdom of God, he has to pray to Jesus and ask him for salvation. He will also take Christ as his Lord in prayer into his life.

The Harp of God and Prayer to Jesus

Praying to Jesus and beeing included the rescue in the prayer to Jesus, was formerly known by the Watchtower Society. Their faith-book of 1929, readers were encouraged to:

»... No one is able to understand these things, and valuing, except the ones who have given their hearts to the Lord. The Apostle Paul says: "But a physical man does not receive the things of the spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot get to know [them], because they are examined spiritually." (1. Corinthians 2:14) Jehovah has arranged it so that only those whose meaning enlightened by the Holy Spirit (what follows their dedication, justification and adoption by the Lord) are able to understand the mystery of God, and cherish. « P. 177

In other words, this means:

Only those who are consecrated to the Lord and have accepted Him are enlightened by the Holy Spirit and understand God's secret. All others are not able to do so. How did happen this very consecration?

»... He hears that it will cost him a lot. So Jesus says to him: "Sit down beforehand and calculate the costs." (Luk. 14:28) He hears that it will cost him everything he has, that is the devotion of himself to the Lord. The next step for those who want to be a Christian, therefore, is to consecrate themselves, that is entirely handed over to the Lord and his orders. This he may do, as he says briefly: Acclaimed Lord, I surrender myself to all your orders, here I am. Do with me according to thy holy will. I want to do your will. Neither the Lord Jesus, nor the Heavenly Father do force anyone, but we need by our own free will to come to the Lord in which we seek his help. That this is necessary in order to become a follower of Jesus, is clearly expressed in the words of the master, when he says: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me." (Matthew 16:24) Denying oneself means to explain the willingness to give up the selfish course and to do the will of the Lord. It means a total and complete surrender of oneself to the Lord. That means dedication: to set oneself entirely aside to do the Lord's will ...« S.181

This consecration is a complete surrender to the Lord Jesus, and this act is performed with a prayer to Christ. What conclusions must therefore be drawn? - Anyone who wants to be saved from this perverse generation (Apg.2, 40), must pray to Jesus! (Romans 10:14) - He has to include in his life Jesus as his Lord and Savior.

It is interesting that this time the Watchtower Society also knew this and made it a condition. In other words, it means that we without the consecration to the Lord Jesus Christ will not be enlightened with the Holy Spirit. Now the question arises to Jehovah's Witnesses: Became the people believing at that time because of this "food" at all? If so - and this can not be denied, otherwise the known as 144,000 were still not complete - so people, who are converted by Jehovah's Witnesses, can not today really come to faith. The biblical life committal to Christ is missed.

In the book "What Does the Bible Really Teach?", Chapter 18, paragraph 14, there is a dedication to Jehovah God, but no commitment to Jesus Christ. I hope that one sentence, which appears in "Revelation - Its Grand Climax at Hand!" is heeded by all Jehovah's Witnesses. It is found on page 319, paragraph 19:

Thus, with John, we fervently pray: "Amen! Come, Lord Jesus."

Mai this prayer to the Lord Jesus be the beginning of a change in the Jehovah's Witnesses.

Conclusion:

I realize that I have brought the Messiah of God in this post very strongly into the center. This is mainly because:

It was primarily about the prayer to Jesus.
It's about the glory of Yahweh, who makes say in his word:
John 5:22-23 For the Father judges no one at all, but he has committed all the judging to the Son, 23 in order that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He that does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him.

Yahweh's desire is that the son is honored as much as his father. This honor is also given in prayer to Jesus. So far my preliminary understanding on this issue.

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A god, who makes the contact to Jesus being a sin, must be Satan.

Research carefully!Can we worship Jesus?