MJF APOLOGETICS

Review of the June JW Life and Ministry Meeting Workbook for the week of June 17-23, 2019.

Treasures From God’s Word – “Put On the Complete Suit of Armor From God”

The fact is, young ones can win, and they are winning! Why? Because they “go on acquiring power in the Lord.” But they do more than draw on God’s power. They are dressed for battle. Like well-trained soldiers, they have “put on the complete suit of armor from God.”​—Read Ephesians 6:10-12.

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They are technically correct here because they are simply quoting the verses from Ephesians. Do you notice the use of “the Lord?” I’ve found it helpful to get suspicious anytime you see “the Lord” used rather than “Jehovah” in the NWT. Actually, you should get even more suspicious if “Jehovah” is used (since “Jehovah/YHWH” is not in the Greek), but i’m going to make a different point here.

As far as I know, the Watchtower has rarely used “the Lord” in reference to the Father in the NWT. Rather, they have inserted “Jehovah” in place of kurios in most (or all?) places where they believe it is in reference to the Father. But here, in Ephesians 6:10 they have kept the text faithful to the Greek and used “The Lord.” So why not insert “Jehovah” here too? Apparently, it is because “the Lord” in context is referring to Jesus. But if that’s the case, then why did the Watchtower quote above not mention Jesus? Anyone reading the quote would have every reason to think that God/Lord is in reference to God/Jehovah.

Yet, Jesus is not mentioned for 17 paragraphs. So why is the Watchtower not giving credit to where credit is due in reference to Ephesians 6:10? “Acquiring the power in the Lord” is clearly “acquiring the power in [Jesus].” It’s very easy to demonstrate that “the Lord” in Eph. 6:10 is Jesus by following “Christ” in 6:5 all the way through 6:10 and noting that each use of “the Lord” is Christ Himself.

Treasures From God’s Word – Digging for Spiritual Gems

Holy spirit. Jehovah’s active force, or spirit, is subject to his control and always accomplishes his purpose. It is clean, pure, sacred, and set apart for God’s good use. Therefore it is called “holy spirit” and “the spirit of holiness.” (Ps 51:11; Lu 11:13; Ro 1:4; Eph 1:13) The holy spirit operating on a person is a force for holiness or cleanness. Any unclean or wrong practice constitutes a resisting or “grieving” of that spirit. (Eph 4:30) Though impersonal in itself, the holy spirit is expressive of God’s holy personality and therefore can be ‘grieved.’ The practice of any wrongdoing tends to “put out the fire of the spirit.” (1Th 5:19) If such practice is continued, God’s holy spirit is, in effect, made to “feel hurt,” and this may result in God’s changing into an enemy of the rebellious one. (Isa 63:10) A person grieving the holy spirit may go so far as to blaspheme against it, which sin Jesus Christ said will not be forgiven in the present system of things nor in that to come.​—Mt 12:31, 32; Mr 3:28-30; see SPIRIT.

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The Watchtower goes out of their way to emphasize that you aren’t necessarily grieving a person directly when the holy spirit is said to be grieved. Notice also that quotes are used around “grieved” and “feel hurt.” This is because you aren’t actually grieving or hurting the holy spirit since forces cannot experience feelings. Rather than assuming it, the Watchtower must prove that the Holy Spirit is a force rather than a human. Space does not permit a full case to prove the personhood of the Holy Spirit. But here are a few texts that I find compelling.

While they were ministering to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.  (Acts 13:2)

When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify about Me.  (John 15:26)

But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come.  He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you.  (John 16:13-14)

Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba!  Father!”  (Galatians 4:6)

In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.  (Romans 8:26-27)

For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God.  For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man which is to him?  Even so the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God.  (1 Corinthians 2:10-11)

But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills.  (1 Corinthians 12:11)

Must more could be stated and I realize there are objections to be made. While there may be some examples in Scripture where non-persons are personified in some ways, I don’t think it is anywhere near the amount and types of usage with the Holy Spirit.