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Locked on 12/26/2013 5:28:25 AM PST by Religion Moderator, reason:
Childish behavior |
Posted on 12/22/2013 7:28:20 AM PST by DouglasKC
“The Christian faith has not been tried and found wanting. It has rather been found difficult and left untried.” —Chesterton
I am the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending.The story of Jesus is either the greatest event in history or the cruelest hoax. If it is a hoax, then the whole of the Christian message crumbles together with the hopes of those multitudes of lives built on his name. The apostle Paul said:
“And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty. Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise up; if in fact the dead do not rise. For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable.” -1 Corinthians 15:14-19 (NKJV)
But if the story is true, then this world has been hit with extraordinary news of earth-shaking consequences. Have you taken the trouble to decide which it is?
In a matter this weighty, it is in your interest to explore the truth or falsity of Christ's claims. Amazingly however, many people who don't believe have never bothered to explore the evidence in support of Jesus,[1] but to the contrary, often run away from it. At the same time, many Christians themselves are not sure, at bottom, whether the claims of their faith are solid. Is the Christian claim a hoax? Is it just wishful thinking? Or is it actually true?
(Excerpt) Read more at christiananswers.net ...
Of course he is...
1Ti_3:16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.
I will ask the same question no one has bothered to answer from your camp. If Jesus Christ is not God, then what is His Nature? Is He a “demigod”, “higher creatED Being.” Do tell. It seems folks say “He is not God” but never say what He is.
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He is the Christ and Messiah.
He is the only begotten Son of the Father,just as the Scripture states. He is the one sent by God to restore men to right standing with God thru belief in him. Thru belief in Him we can be Born Again. He is the Messiah, Redeemer, Savior but not the Father himself. And He never claimed to be.
Thru Him we can become adopted Sons of God.
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Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a MAN approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know:
2:36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made the same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.
2:37 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?
2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
You just ignore all the verses and passages people presented to you several times. Jesus stated the YHWH “I AM” on more than one occasion. Only God uses that Holy title.
I noticed the Thomas brush off. Itinerant disciples of the Great “I AM” do not use God’s Name in vain. Thomas clearly from the context wanted proof of Christ resurrected. When he got it he proclaimed “My Lord AND my God.”
Was the Son of God created by the Father?
John 10:
“I and my Father are one.”
John 14:
[6] Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
[7] If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.
[8] Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us.
[9] Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?
[10] Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.
[11] Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works’ sake.
“The Father dwelleth in me”
What could be clearer than that. The Spirit of God was dwelling in the man Jesus Christ.
That is why He could say “He who has seen me has seen the Father”
He is saying that the Light of God can be seen shining in him.It is all twisted to think He is saying He is God.
Jesus was the perfect obedient Son of God, come to undo what the First Man Adam did.
Adam was tempted to be God and failed. Jesus was tempted to be God ( see the devils tempation in the wilderness)and did not fail.
You just don’t understand.
It is an insult to Jesus to say He is God.
No, not spiritual union; they were two parts of the same being.
Yeshua created the entire universe. (read John 1:1)
You can’t see. Too bad for you.
>> “It is an insult to Jesus to say He is God.” <<
.
The demon that fostered those words will be tormented for eternity; the man who said them fortunately can repent.
It is an insult to Jesus to say He is God.
***Then why didn’t Jesus say to Thomas something that indicated he had been insulted? Instead, He accepted the Worship.
When Thomas saw the risen Christ, he said, “Behold my Lord and my God.” Jesus then proceeded to chastise him for his unbelief, rather than recoil in horror at receiving worship only intended for God Himself.
John 20
28 Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!” 29 Jesus *said to him, “Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed.”
I agree with that statement completely. However, that includes believing who Jesus is. If we don’t believe that He is God incarnate we don’t believe in Him and who He said He was.
The doctrine of the Trinity was developed over about 300 years by the Church.
I agree with much of what you state, although the Doctrine of the Trinity is fairly commonly accepted. So much so accepted, that rejection of the Trinity casts one in the category of cult.
Instead of arguing the point, I would recommend studying the Scriptures, and make an accounting for every reference to God, and how each person of the Godhead is addressed. Let God reveal Himself to you by His Provision.
Identification of the correct object in our belief/faith is indeed important. I suspect faith which is efficacious for salvation as recognized by God the Holy Spirit is adequate to accept Jesus Christ in His humanity providing that sacrifice.
On the other hand, if one adds to that faith the presumption of Christ as not being one with God, i.e. the second person of the Trinity, then that might be adequate grounds to void the faith as being misdirected to a different object than God Incarnate.
The term son of God is used various ways in the Word. Angels are sons of God in glory. All men are sons of God by Creation, which does not make them redeemed. Christians are Sons of God by Redemption.
***That rings a bell. Do you have further reference & development of this perspective? Scripture references?
All those comments that were deleted appear to have been FReepers “making it personal”. I tried to bring it to their attention before you remove the comments entirely so they could reformulate their thoughts.
If I suggest a reformulated post, would that one be removed as well when you go about removing posts? I figure such a thing would be helpful to the original poster who might not be able to remember what he was trying to say. Something along the lines of copying the post and removing the “making it personal” sentences. Would such a post be removed?
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