RE: Is Jesus God
Hi beej
I must say till I read your piece I hadn't viewed it that way. As you say dying of an illness wouldn't have been right and He had to die to fulfil the prophecy. Also the term 'save our soles' really meant going to heaven and not fearing death. I liked your clear way of describing what you believe to be true, as I said before I am no idiot but find some of the writings difficult to understand. I need simplicity.
RE: Is Jesus God
Hi Orangeblossom
I'd just like to say that I totaly agree with what Beej has just said. The questions you are asking are some of the most dificult, yet fundamental questions of the Christian faith.
I'd just like to add a little to what Beej has said. Being as God is perfect, sinfulness is abhorent to him. Therefore to allow us to live in a close loving relationship with him, sin has to be taken out of the equation. This was why Jesus had to take the sin of the whole world upon himself, and open up the way for us to get direct access to our heavenly Father. Jesus said: 'I am the way, the truth, the life' if he had not sacrificed himself, there would be no way to God. Also as Beej has said, he conquored death, therefore his claim to be 'the life' is also substantiated.
With regard to is Jesus God? I'd like to look in fact at the trinity (which has been mentioned earlier). There is a nice little analogy, which I find helpful:
Water is scientificaly called H2O, and yet Steam is also H2O, and so is Ice. They all have different atributes, yet are the same thing. This is just how it is with God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Hope this helps
Waywood
RE: Is Jesus God
I feel better now that when I am inclined to leave Jesus out of my prayers I am not doing the wrong thing.
Hi Orangeblossom,
Just thought I’d pop in here again. THinking about how you said above that you feel guilty about not praying to Jesus: Well, I think he would have approved! Let me explain:
One thing that has always struck me, as a result of my Bible study, is that Jesus, though understanding and demonstrating totally man’s spiritual one-ness with God, (like sunlight is one with the sun) which he came to show and prove to us, as in:
“Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me?” (John 14:10)
and
“I and my Father are one.” (John 10:30)
was also acutely aware of the difference between his (and our) spiritual selfhood, the Christ, and the human Jesus. Whenever people tried to worship his human personality, he gently turned their thought back to God as in this passage:
And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?
And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God. (Mark 10: 17&18)
and here are a couple more:
the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works (John 14:10)
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 (John 5:30)
So Orangeblossom, while I would encourage you to learn as much about Jesus as you can, to love him and most importantly, try to follow his example; as far as prayer goes, just continue praying to God - I’m sure that’s what Jesus would have wanted!
Love and peace,
Judy
PS I just popped back because I remembered Gilly’s query and it’s so relevant to our one-ness with God, the Father-Mother of each and every one of us, which makes us all brothers and sisters! (And as Jesus says below, it makes him our brother too!) He was talking here of his disciples and other followers, not just his blood brothers.
These are words he spoke to Mary Magdalene after his resurrection:
Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God. (John 20:17))
RE: Is Jesus God
Hi Orangeblossom: Thank you for saying you liked my "clear way of describing what you believe to be true"....UsuallyI have a hard time trying to get what is in my head on to a post without getting muddled up!! 😀 Esp. such a difficult topic. Thanks for starting this thread it's very interesting!!! love, beej
Hi Orangeblossom
It's really very simple.
There is only God everywhere as All in all, So God is Jesus, but Jesus is not God.