Arius

ARIANISM: WHO IS JESUS?
PROF. M. M. NINAN
and that he resumed these identities after his ascension to heaven following his death and
resurrection. They also identify him with the "rider of the white horse" at Revelation 6 and 19. His
birth on earth was accomplished when he willingly allowed himself to be transferred, by God, from
heaven to the womb of the virgin, Mary. While on earth, Jesus was executed as a sacrifice to atone
for mankind's sins, becoming the "eternal father" to the human family.
They believe that after his death, Jesus appeared to his disciples, convinced them of his
resurrection, and then ascended into heaven to sit at Jehovah's right hand until he would become
the promised king of God's heavenly kingdom. Jesus acts as the mediator of a "new covenant"
referred to in Jeremiah 31:31, Luke 22:20, and Hebrews 9:15; 12:24, directly mediating only for
those going to heaven (the 144,000). Those with an earthly hope are said to be beneficiaries of that
covenant. Even as king of God's kingdom, Jesus remains subordinate to God. Witnesses reject the
doctrine of the perpetual virginity of Mary, who they believe bore more children after Jesus.
Now there are also some differences between the Christology of Arius and that of the Jehovah's
Witnesses.
For instance, whereas Arius would teach that Jesus' human element is merely the material with the
Logos being the soul (no human soul), the Jehovah's Witnesses would teach that Jesus was purely
man, and as such, he did not possess a soul but he was a living soul.
Also, Arius believed Jesus should be worshipped whereas the Jehovah's Witnesses teach that
since one is to worship God alone Jesus should not be worshipped, since he is merely a creature.
However, as demonstrated above, in the most important of doctrines in the Church, Christology,
there is more than enough similarity between the two to leave no doubt that the Jehovah's
Witnesses are the Arians of our day.
Jehovah's Witnesses are often referred to as "modern-day Arians" or sometimes
"Semi-Arians", usually by their opponents. While there are some significant similarities in theology
and doctrine, the Witnesses differ from Arians by saying that the Son can fully know the
Father (something Arius himself denied), and by their denial of personality to the Holy Spirit.
The original Arians also generally prayed directly to Jesus, whereas the Witnesses pray to God,
through Jesus as a mediator.
The Witnesses have developed their own bible translation, but it is unknown what principles that
they used or who actually translated the work. In John 1.1, the New World Translation read, In the
beginning the Word was, and the word was with God, and the Word was a god.
Most Adventists groups, included the above two, deny the immortality of the soul, the force of the
adversary, and the existence of hell. It is not these doctrines that are the most controversial, but the
denial of the deity of Christ. The Trinitarians and Modalists will disagree as to the nature of the Deity,
but in the end, we both agree that Christ was Deity. The issue with these people is that they deny
the that since the time of the Apostles, the Messiah, Jesus Christ, has been worshiped as God, and
His preexistence has been accepted.
http://unsettledchristianity.com/arianism-revisted-the-ancient-heresy-in-modern-denominations/
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