Are you saying that you do not believe Jesus is God? I don't really believe you are saying that because it doesn't make sense according to the other posts you have here on AAG. I would just like some clarification. Thanks for bearing with me...
Let me clarify myself. Even though I do believe there is an unpardonable sin and that this sin has to do with crediting His miracles to something less than God, I do not think that this refers to someone who does not understand completely the trinity as that would include me as well. I do believe God is approachable and that His Word is understandable. I do not think there is room for the one that would claim that Jesus was anything less than God.
Linda, let me completely understand what you are saying. Are you saying that since Jesus did not say, "I am God" that you are searching to discover who He really is? Did Jesus claim to be God? Yes, He did. However, it is not recorded that He said, "I am God."
Again, I am curious as to what respected theologian you are reading that is testifying that Jesus is not God but the Son of God. There are those who testify that the church in its infancy did not teach Jesus as God. However, this is incorrect. Paul, one of the very first of the New Testament writers, began to teach the people that Jesus was God the creator. Peter made the claim. Titus makes the claim and the four Gospel writers certainly understood they were speaking of the Son of God and God the Son.
There are writers that may claim that Jesus was somewhat less than God. They may say something like since Jesus said in Mark 10:17 - And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, "Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" 18And Jesus said to him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone."
Is then Jesus not God? This verse cannot be isolated and must be interpreted in the light of Scripture. Jesus is clarifying here that only God is good. The reference is indeed a reference to Him as God. However, by itself the verse might be misunderstood. Since Scripture clearly teaches that Jesus is God, we understand Scripture from Scripture.
I studied with the Jehovah's Witnesses for three years when I was seeking knowledge (they never preached the gospel to me and I was never a JW my self - I just liked to study with them). They drilled in my head that Jesus is just a man.
A few years later I ended up with 4 years in a state penitentiary. No man preach the Gospel to me -in solitary confinement - God one night stepped into my cell and brought into my life a convictions that dropped me to my knees sobbing as I asked for forgiveness for all my iniquities and was regenerated.
I got a bible as soon as I could and I asked the Lord - TEACH ME - I HAVE BEEN TOLD JESUS IS NOT GOD, I HEARD THIS AND THAT, BUT I WANT YOU TO TEACH ME. IT WAS HIS SPIRIT GUIDING MY PRAYERS AND SO I STARTED TO READ AND HE STARTED TO TEACH ME, AS HE HAS PROMISE TO DO.
I saw Jesus’ splendor as being God and the Holy Spirit being God as well and I was confronted with the fact that I had this other belief, would I let go what I researched and been taught by man or would I listen to God?
Obviously I Listened to God.
Wow! Your attitude is the best one. May God richly bless you in your studies. He will reveal the truth to you.
I have not read this particular piece but others like it. I have already referred to the one reference but apparently confused your wife which I really apologize for. I have also written about the other reference as well. Was Jesus omniscient? Did He know all? When Jesus said He did not know the hour of the Second Coming, we must take Him at His Word. This verse Buzzard writes about says this verse cannot be honestly answered by anyone who believes in the Trinity. He also uses the verse in Mark 10:17 indicating that Jesus distinguished Himself in this verse as being something less than God. These verses do seem to present a problem However, we are told all Scripture is God-breathed. We do not need to run and hide from these verses. We embrace them. We sometimes have a tendency to put God in a box. God said, "I change not." Does this mean that He could not lay a part of Him down to take on a great mission? Who was this Jesus? Was He the unchanging God. Yes, I believe He was. I believe that because His Word presents Him as such. Those who disclaim His deity as Buzzard does, must also discredit the other New Testament writers. Even though Buzzard quotes numerous writers indicating that the New Testament writers never claimed Jesus was God, that is obviously not true. It is true that the Father and the Christ had different functions but were one in nature. Let me quote him from your credit:
"Apparently Paul did not call Jesus God" (Sydney Cave, D.D., Doctrine of the Person of Christ, p. 48). Did Paul really not call Jesus God. Well no, not just once but numerous times. In 1 Tim 1:17, Paul refers to Him as being eternal, invisible, immortal, God. In Colossians 1, he presents Jesus as the Creator of all things and the substance of all things. He again presents Him as before all things - eternal. In Philippians 2, he presents Him as equal with God.
When you carefully read Philippians 2, you are struck with what He submitted Himself to. In 2 Cor somewhere it says He who was rich became poor that we might become rich. In Philippians 2:7 Paul tells us that this Person Who was equal with God made Himself of no reputation. We are told in both the OT and by Jesus that He changes not. Is this not a change? He was rich but became poor for our sakes. He made Himself of no reputation. So do we say, "Oh yeah, see You are not God"? He became a man but that does not take away Who He is. He is the eternal creator God. Jesus said, Before Abraham was, I am. Yes, Jesus is the eternal God. Why are there those who are driven to declare He is not God when the Scriptures clearly tell us that He is? What could be of greater importance than who is our redeemer?
Can we ever in this life completely understand the sacrifice this member of the Godhead made? He is God our Savior but what did He relinquish to become our eternal Savior. I looked up that verse in 2 Corinthians. Note:
9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.
What does it mean that He became poor for our sakes? No, the Bible never uses the word "trinity." However, the doctrine of the trinity helps me to better understand this sacrifice. He was not a created being created for the purpose of our salvation. He was God Who consented to becoming a man. He made Himself of no reputation. He allowed Himself to be mocked, spoken evil of, discredited, referred to as being a disciple of Satan (O my), spit upon, beaten to the point of complete disfigurement, and finally murdered. This was God submitting Himself to this absurd poverty. Someday we will crown Him with many crowns. Will He ever become equal once again with God the Father and Spirit? Well, that is another subject of discussion. It appears that He did make Himself unequal, even though that was absolutely and totally for our benefit. He is God our Savior- Titus 2:13. I love Him. I serve Him. I worship Him. He is my complete and total salvation.
God bless you and your wife as you continue in your search. I also, as you, want to know Him more.
this is what I spoke about earlier.
Horsetrader might be wrong, but we can't correct him if you ban him.
Please reconsider and just ask him to tone it down.
There is not anything we can do for someone who does not have a teachable spirit. He is accountable to God. This same guy has been back several times each time under a new alias. We are here to protect those who are seeking and teachable, not to allow false doctrine to permeate our discussions.
(I actually felt physicall ill when I read his response.)
Thanks for your comment. I have contributed more than a thousand comments in this community, in the forums alone. Have you looked at all of them that you can make such comment about my postings? You have been here for a month, so unless you have seen all my comments I do not see how you can make such statement.
Horsetrader was not talking to me. I was responding to Him, but He was not responding to me. I learned the foundation of my faith reading my bible serving a 4 year sentence in a state penitentiary. I do quote many awesome men of God that can say things better than me and I will not stop doing that, because they say what I want to convey better at times.
I believe your comment is made with a clean heart and with love, so I thank you my brother. I am so glad you love me enough to speak up and try to guide me. For that I love you and I am grateful.