|
 e will scrutinize the erroneous, inconsistent, and weird doctrines of the Iglesia ni Cristo of Mr. Manalo.
One of the most unusual doctrines of the Iglesia ni Cristo pertains to the real state of being of our Lord Jesus Christ. This belief is unusual in the sense that, while almost all of the most popular religious organizations, both in this country and in some other parts of the world, believe that our Lord Jesus Christ is a God, the Iglesia ni Cristo believes that He is a mere human being, and He does not even possess the faintest shade of being a God! This belief is not only read in their publication, the “Pasugo,” but it is also one of their primary doctrines. Their other publications, likewise, ridicule other religious groups, which believe that Christ is a God. And they are use Isaiah 9:6 (KJV) as basis.
“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”
Many religious groups, particularly the Catholic Church, believe that the child being prophesied by Isaiah, who would be called God is no other than our Lord Jesus Christ. This, of course, is opposed by the INC of Manalo. And their opposition could be read in the November-December 1985 issue of the “Pasugo,” in an article written by Mr. Bienvenido Santiago. He said, “Hindi mapatutunayan ang sinasabing ang tatawaging Makapangyarihang Dios ay ang batang ipanganganak.” [It cannot be proven that the Almighty God that was being referred to was the child who would be born.]
The explanation of Mr. Bienvenido Santiago about this claim could be read as, “Kung susuriing mabuti ang nilalaman ng Isaias 9:6 sa mga salita ng Biblia na karaniwang ginagamit ng mga nagtuturong si Cristo ay Diyos, hindi mapatutunayan ang sinasabing ang tatawaging Makapangyarihang Diyos ay ang batang ipanganganak. Dapat pansining mabuti ang sinasabi sa talata: ang kaniyang pangalan ay tatawaging Kamanghamangha, Makapangyarihang Diyos, Walang hanggang Ama, Pangulo ng Kapayapaan. Ito ay sinasabi pagkatapos na ipahayag sa hula na ang pamamahala ay maaatang sa kaniyang balikat. Kaya ang pangalang binabanggit ay hindi tumutukoy sa bata kundi sa kaniyang tungkulin o sa pamamahala.” [If Isaiah 9:6 would be thoroughly examined, using the common Bible translations, which are being used by those who teach that Christ is a God, it cannot be proven that the one being referred to as the Almighty God is the child who would be born. What the paragraph said ought to be paid attention to: His name shall be called Wonderful, the mighty God, the ever- lasting Father, the Prince of Peace. This was proclaimed after it had been prophesied that the governance would be vested upon his shoulder. Therefore, the name being mentioned was not referring to the child but to the responsibility, or the governance.]
In the latter part of the article, Mr. Bienvenido Santiago, who is also a minister of the INC, came up with the following conclusion. “Sa makatuwid, kung ang pagbabatayan ay ang tamang pagkakasalin ng Isaias 9:6, hindi mapatutunayan na doon ay tinawag na Makapangyarihang Dios si Cristo.” [Therefore, if we are going to refer to the correct translation of Isaiah 9:6, it cannot be proven that, there, Christ was called the Almighty God.]
Their insistence in teaching that our Lord Jesus Christ is a mere man, and not a God, could be read in not just one issue of the “Pasugo.” In the January 1964 issue of the “Pasugo,” this was what Mr. Pedro Villanueva said in his article. “Tao rin ang kalagayan ng ating Panginoon Jesucristo sa kanyang muling pagparito sa araw ng paghuhukom. Hindi nagbabago ang kanyang kalagayan. Hindi siya naging Diyos kailanman! TAO ng ipanganak, TAO ng lumaki na at nangangaral. TAO ng mabuhay na maguli, TAO nang umakyat sa langit, TAO nang nasa langit na nakaupo sa kanan ng Diyos, at TAO rin siyang paririto. Kung gayon ang aral ng Iglesia ni Cristo na si Cristo ay TAO ay aral na mula kay Cristo. Kaya ang Iglesia ni Cristo ay hindi maaaring maging anti-Cristo. Ang mga nagtuturo na si Cristo ay DIYOS ay laban kay Cristo. Sila ang mga Anti-Cristo.” [When our Lord Jesus Christ returns on judgment day, He would again come as a human being. His state of being does not change. He never became a God at all. He was born a MAN; he grew up and preached a MAN; he rose from the dead a MAN; he ascended in to heaven a MAN; he sat at the right of God a MAN; and he would return again a MAN. That is why, the INC could never be an anti-Christ. Those who teach that Christ is god are against Christ. They are the anti-Christ.]
But do you know that this particular doctrine of the INC, which teaches that those who believe that Christ is a God are anti-Christ and is contradictory to the earlier doctrine of Mr. Felix Manalo? But there was a time when their acknowledged “messenger” preached that our Lord Jesus Christ was also called God?
In the August 1939 issue of the “Pasugo”, this was what Mr. Benjamin Santiago, Sr. said in his article on page 17. “Ang Batang Lalaking ipanganganak na tinutukoy ni Isaias ay ang ating Panginoong Jesucristo, sinasabi ding Siya’y aatangan ng pamamahala; na ito’y pinatunayan ni Cristo ng sabihin Niyang: “Ang kapamahalaan sa langit at sa ibabaw ng lupa ay naibigay na sa akin.” (Mat. 28:18). Pagkatapos na Siya’y atangan ng pamamahala, Siya’y TATAWAGING DIYOS; ngunit HINDI TUNAY NA DIYOS, KUNDI TATAWAGIN LAMANG, gaya ng pagkatawag na diyos sa mga anak ng Kataastaasan. Maliwanag na sinasabi ng talata na si Cristo na tinatawag na Dios ay may Dios na kinikilala; at Ang Kanyang Dios ang siyang nagpahid o naghalal sa Kanya: sapagkat ang kahulugan ng salitang Cristo ay pinahiran sa Juan 20:17 ay sinabi ni Cristo: Aakyat Ako sa Aking Ama, na inyong Ama, at sa Aking Dios, na inyong Dios.” Kung gayon, ang ating Panginoong Jesucristo ay dios na may Dios.” [The son, who would be born, which was prophesied in Isaiah is our Lord Jesus Christ. It was also said that he would be assigned the governance; and this was proven by Christ when He said, “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth” (Mat. 28:18). And when he had been given the power to govern, He would be called God, but not a real god. He would just be called God, in the same way that the children of the Highest are also called God. The verse clearly states that, Christ, who was called God, acknowledges another God. And His God was the one who anointed, or elected, Him: because the word “Christ” means “the anointed.” In John 20:17, Christ said, “I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.” Therefore, our Lord Jesus Christ is a God with a God.]
They based this belief on Hebrews 1:8 and John 20:17. This was also affirmed by another article from the November 1939 issue of the “Pasugo.” It said: “Bakit pa kami mag-aaral sa naniniwala naman kaming si Cristo’y tinatawag na dios. Ikinakapit na talaga kay Cristo ang salitang “dios” ngunit si Cristo ay di tunay na dios, kundi tinatawag lamang dios. Ang salitang dios ay ikinakapit din sa mga ang ng Kataastaasan, tinatawag din silang dios (Awit 82:6, Juan 10:34-35). Ikinakapit din sa anghel ang salitang “dios” (Huk. 13:21-22, Gen. 32:28, Oseas 12:3-4). Si Moises ay ginawang dios ng Dios (Exo. 7:1; 4:16). Kung sa mga anak ng Dios ay ikinakapit ang salitang “dios”, lalong may katwirang ikapit kay Cristo ang salitang ito (dios), ngunit hindi ito katunayang si Cristo ay tunay na Dios, kundi siya’y tinatawag lamang Dios …” [Why do we have to study when we actually believe that Christ is also called God? The word “god” is really ascribed to Christ. However, Christ is not a real god; he was just called god. The word “god” is also ascribed to the children of The Highest. They are also called god. (Psalms 82:6, John 10:34-35). The word “god” is also ascribed to angels (Judges 13:21-22, Gen. 32:28, Hosea 12:3-4). Moses was likewise made god by God (Exo. 7:1; 4:16). If the word “god” is ascribed to the children of God, the more it is fitting to ascribe this word (god) to Christ. However, this is not being a proof that Christ is a real god; He was simply called God.]
Does this not clearly tell us that, once upon a time, they also believed that our Lord Jesus Christ was also called God? This is contradictory to the doctrine they teach today! According to the Bible, what is the real state of being of our Lord Jesus Christ? Is He a man, or a God? On the other hand, who, between the father-son ministers of the INC of Manalo was telling the truth? Is it Mr. Bienvenido Santiago, who said that, it can not be proven that our Lord Jesus Christ would be called God? Or, was it his father, also a minister of the INC, who admitted that Christ was also called God?
This is a discussion on the changeable and inconsistent doctrines of the Iglesia ni Cristo of Manalo.
But, who is in truth, the Son who would be born, who would also be called Almighty God, in Isaiah 9:6? What is the real state of being of our Lord Jesus Christ, as far as the Bible is concerned? Does the doctrine of the INC of Mr. Manalo, that our Lord Jesus Christ is a mere human being, have any Biblical basis? Or, just another weird doctrine.
|
|
|
