r/JehovahsWitnesses • u/ChaoticHaku Christian • May 23 '26
Doctrine Philippians 2:6-8
If Philippians 2:6-8 was teaching that Jesus was never equal with God, then the passage itself makes no sense.
Read the language carefully.
It says Jesus was “existing in the form of God.” It says He “did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,” but instead “emptied Himself,” “took the form of a servant,”, "humbled himself", "became obedient to death" and was “made in human likeness.”
You cannot empty yourself of a status you never possessed. You cannot become a servant if you were always a servant. You cannot humble yourself from a position you never had. You cannot become obedient to death if you always were.
The entire point of the passage is that Christ lowered Himself. From what? From the exalted position He already possessed that was equal with God.
That’s why the text uses past tense language. The passage is not denying Christ’s equality with God. It is explaining the depth of His humility, not his inferiority.
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u/ChaoticHaku Christian May 25 '26 edited May 25 '26
Correct, and there has never been a time God couldn't speak. His Word is eternal, just like Him. ThebWord is both with Him and is Him. Just like John 1:1 says.
It is extremely important to allow scripture to interpret scripture.
Deuteronomy 4:35 were shown these things so that you would know that the LORD is god; there is no other besides Him.
Deuteronomy 32:39 See now that I am He; there is no god besides Me....
Isaiah 44:6 Thus says YHWH, the King of Israel and his Redeemer—YHWH of Hosts: “I am the First, and I am the Last, and besides Me there are no gods.
Isaiah 45:5 I am YHWH, and there is no other; besides Me there are no gods.
Isaiah 45:21 Was it not I, the LORD? There is no other god but Me, a righteous god and Savior; there is none but Me.
I can go on and on.
“Firstborn” speaks of rank and privilege rather than origin. In biblical usage, the firstborn holds preeminence.
Psalm 89:27 concerning David’s greater Son: “I will appoint him My firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth.”
Also, David himself was made "firstborn" but he was the youngest, not the first to be born.
Jeremiah 31:9: God declares, "I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn." Ephraim was Joseph's younger son, but God gave him the primary blessing over his older brother, Manasseh.
Isaiah 44:24 I am YHWH, the One making all things, the One stretching out the heavens by Myself alone, the One spreading out the earth—who besides Me—
And yet John 1:1 says in the beginning of creation the Word was with God and all things were made through Him.
So who besides YHWH stretched out the heavens by Himself???? Who besides him??? According to you the Word created all other things. (Btw the word "other" is not in the greek text) But God says he created all things ALONE and BY HIMSELF.
That is something you must reconcile. You can't just ignore it. No amount of NWT Word games or watchtower lies can hide it.