Guest guest Posted December 29, 2002 Report Share Posted December 29, 2002 Actually, you failed to quote many of the quotes Jesus made of His divine status, and you have failed to note the context of His visit to Earth. Matt.11:8, Jesus is discussing the Sabbath, and states He is the " Lord of the Sabbath. " He is here giving statement of His authority. In Matt.13:41, He discusses when He will send out His angels, and Matt. 16:27,28 coming in the glory of His Father and in His Kingdom. In the first chapter of the Gospel of John, the explanation of the status of the Creator, the Word, and Jesus is clearly given. In Isaiah 9:6, various names are given for Jesus, including Mighty God, Everlasting Father. You have read between the lines so to speak and made what appears to be some valid claims, but have failed to note the underlying position of why those claims might be valid. They are only valid up to a point, such as Jesus not appearing to see the future and therefore not being possible that He is God. To understand the true meaning of what you think you understand, you first must consider the reason for Jesus coming to this earth to begin with. Adam, a creation in the flesh, failed the test of appetite and loyalty, and so brought sin via Satan into our world. God didn't create a robot of Adam, he simply failed to obey God--he acted out of choice. The purpose of Jesus coming to this earth was to show that man could obey God out of choice. However, Jesus voluntarily had laid aside His divinity, when He was clothed with humanity, because He had to be tempted in all points as we are or humanity could say with objection, that God could'nt sin, and therefore couldn't be tempted, and therefore couldn't undergo the same test as man had to undergo in Eden, and therefore couldn't be perfect. In other words, God was willing to set aside His Godship in the form of man, as Jesus, to answer the claims of a Holy God--Himself, that man could live in perfect obedience to God, albeit in total dependence on the power of God to overcome the temptation to sin. So as Jesus, the power of God had been set aside to live our life on this earth to challenge the claims of Satan, and therefore the claims of humanity that tried to say God's creatures couldn't keep His Law. If Jesus had taken up the power He had set aside in order to not fall victim to sin, than we could all claim He had an unfair advantage. Fortunately for us, He did not pick up His laid aside power, but instead lived a sinless life in perfect harmony with His Father whom the Bible claims He is. Just because you in your finite human state don't understand the relationship of God, His only Begotten and His Holy Spirit, doesn't mean God gave you license to make a human opinion into something more than just that. The Bible in various places is quite clear about interpretation--2nd Peter 1:20 is clear about scripture not being subject to private interpretation. The Bible must be compared to itself on all points, not to human opinion when it isn't understood. The Bible is as clear as it needs to be that Jesus, before He took on the human state, created the Universe, came to this earth in the form of humanity as Jesus, with a laid aside divinity, that He took up again when He went home to heaven after resurrection, before He was seen by His disciples (to be accepted of His Father, returned to be examined by His followers to confirm His identity, and went back to heaven until the fulness of time should be reached that all peoples will be judged, and receive their reward when He returns. Beyond that, there is some documentation from a publisher in California, of charges that Islam, was a creation of the Papacy in the 7th century A.D. after it was determined that the early crusades were not going to be succesful in gaining Jerusalem for the Papacy. The creation of Islam was to have been a driving wedge, to help the crusaders capture Jerusalem for the Papacy. It is a pity though, because as any true Bible student knows, God granted Israel their requested divorce when He stated to them " your house is left unto you desolate " Matt. 23:38. God was not and is not interested in the physical city of Jerusalem, as are the Jews and the Palestinian groups. He is interested in the hearts of the residents and their spiritual loyalties as part of His creation. But they are apparently more interested in perpetuating violence than they are in living under the wishes of God as stated in Eccles. 12:13. , mfgg x <romaroad16> wrote: > Who is Jesus? > > Without a doubt, you have often heard the claim that Jesus is God, the second person in the " Holy trinity. " However, the very Bible which is used as a basis for knowledge about Jesus and as the basis for doctrine within Christianity clearly belies this claim. We urge you to consult your own Bible and verify that the following conclusions are not drawn out of context: > > 1. God is All Knowing.....but Jesus was not > When speaking of the day of judgment, Jesus clearly gave evidence of a limitation on his knowledge when he said, " but of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in Heaven, neither the son, but the Father. " Mark 13:32, and Matt 24:36. But God knows all. His knowledge is without any limitations. That Jesus, of his own admission, did not know when the day of judgment would be, is clear proof that Jesus is not all-knowing, and that Jesus is therefore not God. > > 2. God is All Powerful.....but Jesus was not > While Jesus performed many miracles, he himself admitted that the power he had was not his own but was derived from God when he said, " Verily, verily I say unto you, the Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do... " St. John 5:19. Again he said, " I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me. " St. John 5:30. But God is not only all-powerful, He is also the source of all power and authority. That Jesus, of his own admission, could do nothing on his own is clear proof that Jesus is not all-powerful, and that therefore Jesus is not God. > > 3. God does not have a God.....but Jesus did have a God. > God is the ultimate judge and refuge for all, and He does not call upon nor pray to any others. But Jesus acknowledged that there was one whom he worshipped and to whom he prayed when he said, " l ascend unto my Father and your Father, and to my God and your God. " St. John 20:17. He is also reported to have cried out while on the cross, " My God, my God why hast thou forsaken me? " Matt 27:46. If Jesus were God, then couldn't this be read, " Myself, myself why hast thou forsaken me? " Would that not be pure nonsense? When Jesus prayed the Lord's prayer (Luke 11:2-4), was he praying to himself? When in the garden of Gethsemane he prayed, " O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: Nevertheless not as I will but as thou wilt. " Matt 26:36-39. Was Jesus praying to himself? That Jesus, of his own admission and by his own actions, acknowledged, worshipped, and prayed to another being as God is clear proof that Jesus himself is not God. > > 4. God is an invisible spirit.....but Jesus was flesh and blood > While thousands saw Jesus and heard his voice, Jesus himself said that this could not be done with God when he said. " No man hath seen God at any time. " St. John 1:18. ' " Ye have neither heard His voice at any time nor seen His shape. " St. John 5:37. He also said in St. John 4:24. " God is a spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. " That Jesus would say that no one had seen or heard God at any time, while his followers both saw and heard him, is clear proof that Jesus was not God. > > 5. No one is greater than God and no one can direct Him but Jesus acknowledged someone greater than himself whose will was distinct from his own. > Perhaps the clearest indication we have that Jesus and God are not equal, and therefore not one and the same, come again from the mouth of Jesus himself who said in St. John 14:28, " My Father is greater than I. " When someone referred to him as good master in Matt 19:17, Jesus responded, " Why callest thou me good? There is none good but one, that is God... " Furthermore, Jesus drew clear distinctions between himself and God when he said, " I proceeded forth and came from God, neither came I of myself but He sent me. " St. John 8:42. Jesus gave clear evidence of his subordination to God, rather than his equality with God,when he said in Luke 22:42, " not my will but thine be done " and in St. John 5:30, " I seek not mine own will but the will of the Father which hath sent me. " That Jesus would admit that he did not come into the world on his own initiative but was directed to do so, that he would acknowledge another being as greater than himself, and that he would negate his own will in deference to affirming the will of another, give clear proof that Jesus is not the Supreme One and therefore Jesus is not God. > > Conclusion > The Church recognizes the Bible as the primary source of knowledge about God and Jesus. But since the Bible makes it clear that Jesus is not the Supreme Being and the Supreme Being is not Jesus, upon what basis have you come to believe otherwise? > > My brother or sister, the belief that the Supreme Being is a Trinity is false and completely inconsistent with the words of Jesus as presented in the Bible. God is one, not three. He is a perfect unity. > > If you are interested in the truth about God and your relationship to Him, we invite you to investigate the religion of Islam. > > > What is the word of God about Jesus: > > A. Regarding Sonship of Jesus: > That is Jesus, son of Mary, in word of truth, concerning which they are doubting. It is not for God to take a son unto Him. Glory be to Him! When He decrees a thing he but says to it " Be " , and it is. (Qur'an 19:34,35). > > And they say, 'The All-merciful has taken unto Himself a son.' You have indeed advanced something hideous. The heavens are well nigh rent of it and the earth split asunder, and the mountains well nigh fall down crashing for that they have attributed to the All-Merciful a son; and it behoves not the All-Merciful to take a son. None is there in the heavens and earth but comes to the All-Merciful as a servant (Qur'an 19:88-93). > > Truly the likeness of Jesus, in God's sight, is as Adam's likeness; He created him of dust, then said He unto him, " Be " , and he was. (Qur'an 3:59). > > People of the Book, go not beyond the bounds in your religion, and say not as to God but the Truth. The Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, was only the Messenger of God, and His Word that He committed to Mary, and a spirit from Him. So believe in God and His Messengers. and say not, 'Three', Refrain, better is it for you. God is only One God. Glory be on Him - that He should have a son! To Him belongs that which is in the heavens and on the earth, God suffices for a guardian. (Qur'an 4:171) > > B. Regarding Jesus being God: > And when God said. 'O Jesus son of Mary,did you say unto men, " Take me and my mother as gods, apart from God? " He Said, 'To You be Glory! It is not mine to say what I have no right to. If I indeed said it, You knew it, knowing what is within my soul, and I do not know what is within Your soul; You know the things unseen. I only said to them what You did command me: " Serve God, my Lord and your Lord. " And I was a witness over them, while I remained among them; but when You did take me to Yourself the Watcher over them; You are the witness of everything. (Quran 5:116,117) > > C. Regarding Crucifiction of Jesus: > And for their unbelief, and their uttering against Mary a mighty calumny, and for their saying, 'We slew the Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, the Messenger of God'...yet they did not slay him, neither crucified him, only a likeness of that was shown to them. Those who are at variance concerning him surely are in doubt regarding him, they have no knowledge of him, except the following of surmise; and they did not slay him of certainty... no indeed, God raised him up to Him; God is Almighty, All-Wise. There is not one of the people of the Book but will assuredly believe in him before his death, and on the Resurrection Day he will be a witness against them. (Qur'an 4:156- 159) > > > > > Mail Plus - Powerful. Affordable. Sign up now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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