One of these things is not like the Other things...

"One of these things is not like the other things. One of these things just doesn't belong. Can you guess which thing is not like the other thing, before I finish my song?"- Cookie Monster

What person who grew up watching Sesame Street doesn't remember hearing the above song being sang by Cookie Monster or one of the other Sesame Street puppets? Normally, the song accompanied a game designed to get the viewer to determine which item, in a group of items, didn't match the other items. I ran across a YouTube video which showed Cookie Monster standing in front of four separate plates of cookies. Three of the plates had two cookies on them while the fourth plate contained three cookies. He sang the song and then gave the answer to the question which was that the plate with three cookies didn't belong. Christians might do well to remember this song when faced with all the error that permeates out their disguising itself as being Christian. Two of the most obvious culprits are the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Mormons) and the Watchtower Society (Jehovah's Witnesses). Each of these groups are popular, large and accepted by the general religious community. However, to the trained eye, they are nothing more than cults which are leading their followers down a primrose path to Hell. Take a look at following quotes taken directly from each of their official websites.

The Mormons

Jess L. Christensen, Institute of Religion director at Utah State University, Logan, Utah. On first hearing, the doctrine that Lucifer and our Lord, Jesus Christ, are brothers may seem surprising to some—especially to those unacquainted with latter-day revelations. But both the scriptures and the prophets affirm that Jesus Christ and Lucifer are indeed offspring of our Heavenly Father and, therefore, spirit brothers. Jesus Christ was with the Father from the beginning. Lucifer, too, was an angel “who was in authority in the presence of God,” a “son of the morning.” Both Jesus and Lucifer were strong leaders with great knowledge and influence. But as the Firstborn of the Father, Jesus was Lucifer’s older brother. (Jess L. Christensen, “I Have a Question,” Ensign, June 1986, 25–26)

Jehovah's Witnesses

WHILE Jesus is often called the Son of God in the Bible, nobody in the first century ever thought of him as being God the Son. Even the demons, who "believe there is one God," knew from their experience in the spirit realm that Jesus was not God. So, correctly, they addressed Jesus as the separate "Son of God." And when Jesus died, the pagan Roman soldiers standing by knew enough to say that what they had heard from his followers must be right, not that Jesus was God, but that "certainly this was God's Son."...The Bible is clear and consistent about the relationship of God to Jesus. Jehovah God alone is Almighty. He created the prehuman Jesus directly. Thus, Jesus had a beginning and could never be coequal with God in power or eternity. (Jehovah's Witnesses Official Website).

Using the example from Sesame Street, let's assume you have three plates. On the first plate you have the above statement from the Mormons. On the second plate is the statement from the Jehovah's Witnesses. And on the third plate you have traditional Christianity. By simply comparing each statement with what traditional Christianity says about them, the truth will make it clear which one is different.

"The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel" —which means, "God with us." Matthew 1:23

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God... The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us." John 1:1, 14

"I and the Father are one." Again the Jews picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus said to them, "I have shown you many great miracles from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?" "We are not stoning you for any of these," replied the Jews, "but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God." John 10: 30-33

"Thomas said to him, "My Lord and my God."" John 20:28

"Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood." Acts 20:28

"...while we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ..." Titus 2:13

"But about the Son he says, "Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever, and righteousness will be the scepter of your kingdom." Hebrews 1:8

I have listed just seven passages that speak of the deity of Jesus Christ and the fact that He was God. Furthermore, these seven passages were written by upwards of five different authors since the author of Hebrews is unknown. So, to use the words of the Mormon, it is "surprising" to hear someone claim that Jesus is the older brother of Lucifer, the devil. This not only lowers Jesus to the status of a created being, but elevates the devil to the level of God. Jesus was fresh out the womb when Matthew reminds us that He was, indeed, God with us. On three separate occassions, the Apostle John validates Jesus' status as God. First by equating the Word as being God and that the Word became flesh. Therefore, God, in Christ, became flesh. Secondly, John quotes Christ Himself as saying He and the Father "are one." And that the Jews attempted to stone Jesus for claiming to be God. Jesus doesn't rebuke them for saying this, so they must have understood Him correctly. Thirdly, John tells of Thomas' confession that Jesus was his Savior and his God! Again, Jesus didn't correct him. Luke tells us in Acts that God bought His church with His own blood. Who shed blood for our behalf? Jesus! Therefore, Jesus is God. Paul encourages Titus by telling him that our blessed hope is in Jesus Christ, "our great God and Savior." And finally, the author of Hebrews calls Jesus God and states His throne will last forever. Scripture is clear that Jesus is God.

As for the claims of the Jehovah's Witnesses. I have already shown you verses that rebuke their claim that Jesus was not God. And using those same passages we can rebuke their other claim that nobody in the first century thought Jesus was the Son of God. Many scholars agree that the Gospel of Matthew was written as early as A.D. 50. The Apostle John died around A.D. 95. Thus, his Gospel had to be written before his death. And it is accepted that he wrote his Gospel between A.D. 80 and A.D. 90. The Acts of the Apostles, written by Luke, is believed to have been written as early as A.D. 60 to A.D. 62. The Apostle Paul wrote to Titus around the same time between A.D. 62 and A.D. 64. And most accept that the epistle of Hebrews was written sometime around A.D. 67 to A.D. 69. Notice a trend here? All of these biblical texts were written in the first century. Now that we have established these books were written in the first century we can put to bed the claim that nobody, at this time, thought Jesus to be the Son of God. Matthew writes about Jesus claiming to be the Son of God (Matthew 26: 63-64). John speaks of Nathaniel declaring Jesus is the Son of God, the King of Isreal (John 1:49). Luke tells us of how Paul, shortly after his conversion, began preaching in the synagogues that Jesus was the Son of God (Acts 9:20). As already established, Paul, on many occassions confessed Jesus as the Son of God (Romans 1:4; 2 Corinthians 1:19; Galatians 2:20). And we can't leave out the author of Hebrews claim that the Son of God is Jesus Christ (Hebrews 4:14; 6:6; 7:3; 10:29). Scripture is clear that Jesus is the Son of God.

"When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say the Son of Man is?" They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets." "But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?" Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." Matthew 16:13-16

The question the Mormons, the Jehovah's Witnesses and, quite frankly, all of us have to answer is the same question Jesus posed to His disciples, "Who do you say I am?" Like Peter, I say He is the Christ, the Son of the living God! Mormons say Jesus is not God, but the brother of the devil. The Jehovah's witnesses take the error to another level by not only denying Christ's deity, but claiming the New Testament authors to be liars. Who are we going to believe? The testimony of Jesus Christ Himself and the authors of the New Testament or the false teachings of men who deny the clear claims of Christ and teach others to do the same? The choice is yours! Just like a smart, little kid could tell Cookie Monster what plate of cookies was different than the others, a true believer can say, with conviction, that biblical Christianity is different than the false religions claiming to be true.