Hi Unshackle , thank you for video which l have watched . Two things occurred to me immediately , how much he labours the point Lol and how he gives the IMPRESSION that this idea of Jesus existing eternally( pre- incarnation ) as the Son is a fairly new idea . He talks about Bibles written before the King James version use " it " instead of "him "
ln doing this Sir , l believe , Anthony ignores the teachings of the Early Church Fathers . Irenaeus , who died around 200 AD so lived not long after the Disciples wrote ,
" Now it has been clearly demonstrated that the Word which exists from the beginning with God , by WHOM all things were made , WHO was also present with the race of men at all times , this Word has in these last times according to the time appointed by the Father , been united to HIS own workmanship and has been made passable man . Therefore we can set aside the objection of them that say " lf he was born at that time it follows that Christ did not exist before then " For we have shown that the Son of God did not then begin to exist since HE existed with the Father always , but when HE was incarnate and made man He summed up in HIMSELF the long line of the human race , procuring for us salvation thus summarily , so that what we had lost in Adam , that is , the being in the image and likeness of God , that we should regain in Christ " Capitals mine .
So , yes , he makes a good argument which sounds logical , but l know that JWs can sound logical when they are talking to you at your door , however looking behind the cherry picked verse can reveal a more complicated situation . Saying that l am not sure that this is a deal breaker when it comes to Salvation - other views may be available at a church near you . We agree that Jesus is nor never was Michael , that the person of Jesus who lived on Earth has the fullness of Yahweh in Him .
The Bible says " so that just as sin reigned in death , so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord " That is the crux ( pun intended ) of the Gospel message .
Jan