Posted: Tue Sep 27, 2005 9:12 pm
Shoku, my bad
the word "Word" here is the Spoken word. Not the Written word thus everything that was made was spoken by God the Father into existance. Christ is the living spoken word of the God head. He is the manifest power of God.John 1:1 - In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God
I don't think that would help.Top Gun wrote:Who else thinks that this thread needs a Lothar or Drakona uber-post in the worst way?
I agree with both of you.De Rigueur wrote:...I propose a limit of one can of worms per thread. This is getting out of hand.Top Gun wrote:Who else thinks that this thread needs a Lothar or Drakona uber-post in the worst way?
I agree. as I said earlier:De Rigueur wrote: I propose a limit of one can of worms per thread. This is getting out of hand.
One positive thing this thread has done, however, is demonstrate the diversity of opinion. Intelligent debate is good for everyone because we can all learn something no matter how much we already know.And if you want to successfully "reason upon the Scriptures" with people, stick to one subject at a time. This post is rambling everywhere.
I agree! Discussion is always good. If someone challenges something you believe and you attempt, with an open mind, to defend it, how can you help but learn? Either you find good support for your position, in which case you have learned, or you find your positions weak, which is also a valuable lesson. And even if you never reach agreement in the discussion, just being exposed to others ideas and having to defend your own is a GOOD thing.Shoku wrote:Intelligent debate is good for everyone because we can all learn something no matter how much we already know.
Kilarin wrote:John 1:1 - In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Now the "New World Translation" sticks an "A" in there, so that the text reads "and the Word was A God", but the experts seem to agree that the structure of the Greek simply does not support that construction. Also, it doesn't make sense in context.
Which is why I'll have to stick with my original conclusion.Shoku wrote:Actually the Greek does support that construction. There is no indefinate article (a) in greek. There is only the definate article (the).
But your conclusion is based on flawed reasoning. The word theos is not the issue here (with John 1:1). The issue is the gramatical construction, and the context.Kilarin wrote:Which is why I'll have to stick with my original conclusion.
Well, as a Christian Jew he must have agreed with the apostle Paul's statement that "there are many gods and many lords."And Thomas was a Jew. He didn't believe in lots of little gods,
No, I am not a Jehovah's Witness.De Rigueur wrote:Hey Shoku, I don't know if it's been discussed before, but are you a Jehovah's Witness?
Just curious.
The Witnesses are not the only group that question the divinity of Christ. Arian said "there was a time when he was not" a long, LONG time ago. And that particular belief has never really died out. The Mormons say that Christ was created, but then they also believe that God the Father was as well. The Unitarians aren't very big on Christ's Divinity (Which may not mean much since they aren't really very big on anything) Some branches of the Episcopal Church deny even the Resurrection (Do a Google on Spong). There are very few beliefs that are actually unique to one church or religious group.De Rigueur wrote:Hey Shoku, I don't know if it's been discussed before, but are you a Jehovah's Witness?
Your knowledge of Greek is impressive! It IS nice to be having a discussion with someone well educated on the topic.Shoku wrote:The word theos is not the issue here (with John 1:1). The issue is the gramatical construction, and the context.
And taken with the other verses in the Bible that support the Divinity of Christ:C. S. Lewis wrote:Now that is the first thing to get clear. What God begets is God; just as what man begets is man. What God creates is not God; just as what man makes is not man. That is why men are not Sons of God in the sense that Christ is. They may be like God in certain ways, but they are not things of the same kind. They are more like statues or pictures of God.
And don't forget Muslims.Kilarin wrote:The Witnesses are not the only group that question the divinity of Christ. Arian said "there was a time when he was not" a long, LONG time ago. And that particular belief has never really died out. The Mormons say that Christ was created, but then they also believe that God the Father was as well. The Unitarians aren't very big on Christ's Divinity
Kilarin
I found this part interesting. The bible clearly does state that Jesus was created by God and that God alone is most high, but what is the exact definition of "divine" here?The Witnesses are not the only group that question the divinity of Christ
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
of one Being with the Father.
Through him all things were made.
C. S. Lewis was a great writer, who had his opinions, but to separate truth from falsehood we should always return to the Bible to define meaning.Kilarin wrote:C. S. Lewis wrote:
Now that is the first thing to get clear. What God begets is God; just as what man begets is man. What God creates is not God; just as what man makes is not man. That is why men are not Sons of God in the sense that Christ is. They may be like God in certain ways, but they are not things of the same kind. They are more like statues or pictures of God.
I agree, I was quoting him because I thought he explained the idea well, not as an authority above the Bible.Shoku wrote:C. S. Lewis was a great writer, who had his opinions, but to separate truth from falsehood we should always return to the Bible to define meaning.
Shoku wrote:People saw Jesus (the Word), and yet John says in verse 18 that "No man has seen God at any time!"
We can not tie God down to time. As Duper quoted: "Beyond all question, the mystery of godliness is great". If God were subject to time, it would imply that there was something greater than Him. God created both space AND time. When an Eternal God begets, He begets from all Eternity, outside of time. Imagine two books on a table, one on top of the other. Clearly the book on top is only there because the book on the bottom is holding it up. Now imagine that both books had been there forever. The book on top would have ALWAYS been there because the book on the bottom is holding it up. To beget is not the same as to Create.Shoku wrote:Trinitarians say that since God is eternal, so the Son of God is eternal. But how can a person be a son and at the same time be as old as his father?
Shoku wrote:Why does the Bible use the very same Greek word for â??only-begottenâ?
You can call them opinions if you want, but they are also the historical teachings of the church as expressed in the creeds. It's nice that you want to look to the Bible for truth, but a couple of problems ensue. One is that the church fathers also looked to the Bible but came to conclusions different from yours. Another is that, due to human finitude, there will always be limits to what can be known through the human intellect. So I'd say that at some point exegesis becomes speculation and hermeneutics becomes subjectivity.Shoku wrote: C. S. Lewis was a great writer, who had his opinions, but to separate truth from falsehood we should always return to the Bible to define meaning.
This is an example of an extra-biblical argument. You remind me of Nicodemus when he said, 'how can a man re-enter the womb and be born again?'. Jesus was trying to attach a spiritual meaning to the idea of birth. Like Nicodemus, you use a natural, earthly interpretation of father/son instead of the spiritual interpretation. (You do something similar with the terms begotten and beginning.)Shoku wrote: But how can a person be a son and at the same time be as old as his father?
Shoku wrote: The perfect human life of Jesus was the â??corresponding ransomâ?
Well, you are correct that Adam was not the only one who sinned. But he was the FIRST human, who knowingly rejected God's authority (Eve was deceived). Paul writes:De Rigueur wrote: This comparison just does not work. Adam was not the only one who sinned ('all have sinned'). The law does not even mention Adam's sin. The sacrifices under the law were temporary and thus inadequate. Christ sacrifice was for the sins of the all people for all time. It's not just a 'one for one trade'.
Well, I've had fun (and learned a lot) discussing it, thanks for participating! And also, how incredibly generous of you to give the Trinists the last word!Shoku wrote:We will never come to an agreement on this, so this will be my last post on this topic.
I agree 100%!Jesus is, and why this whole mess exists. All the answers are there, waiting to be uncovered.
This is entirely compatible with the doctrine of the Trinity. "I and my Father are One". John 10:30. The Trinity IS one God.LORD our God is one LORD Mark 12:29 "one God and Father of all" Eph 4:4
IF we take the view that Christ is a created being, we have a conflict here. We have this statement, but we also have "I and my Father are One". But, Phil 2:6-7 clears up the mystery. "Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men""The Father is greater than I am." John 14:28
We have a slight problem here, because when Thomas uses "My God", (mou theos) in John 20:28 you said he wasn't actually calling Jesus the almighty God. But, that's beside the point, because I obviously believe that a Jew saying "mou theos" (or actually the Hebrew or Aramaic equivalent) WOULD be referring to Yahweh, the almighty God.John 17:3, 6 -8, 17,18, 20 - 23; John 20:17; Mark 15:34; Rev 3:12; 1 Peter 1:3
Again, entirely compatible with the doctrine of the Trinity. There is only one God, and that God is God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Lucifer didn't make the list."You shall worship the LORD your God, and serve Him only." Matthew 4:8 -10
Christ incarnate as man was subject to the Father. No problem there. In Revelation we see the Glorified Christ claiming the specific right to decide who sits with him: "To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with Me in My throne." Rev 3:21this is not mine to give, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father." Matthew 20:23
In John 10:30, Jesus claimed equality with God. The Jews are about to stone him for that. In response, he quotes Psalms 82:6 and says that if humans could be called "gods" in a lesser sense, then how can you condemn the very Son of God for claiming his title?"Jesus answered them. "Has it not been written in your Law, 'I said, you are gods?'" If he called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture cannot be broken), do you say of him, whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, 'You are blaspheming'; because I said, 'I am God's son?'" John 10:34-36
Christ never claimed to be greater than God the Father!nor is one who is sent greater than the one who sent him." John 13:16
God is a Spirit John 4:24
God condescended to be come man, so that we could have a mediator. Christ is our mediator because He is both God and man.and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. 1Timothy 2:5
But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense- Jesus Christ, the Righteous One." 1 John 2:1
To quote Nichol, "Even among equals there may be a head. A committee of men of equal rank still selects its chairman." This also explains 1 Corinthians 15:28and God is the head of Christ." 1 Corinthians 11:3
Which again supports that there is something drastically different in the nature of Christ and all created beings. If Christ is a created son, then He is only one of countless other created sons, and how could He be referred to as the "one and only son"? Begetting is not the same as creating."This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins" 1 John 4: 9.10
"No man has seen God at any time." John 1:18
"No man may see God and live." Exodus 33:20
The grammar here WILL allow the interpretation that Christ was created, but that interpretation would then leave us in conflict with Christ receiving worship and forgiving sins, Christ claiming to be the "I AM", Christ claiming to be one with the father, Christ as the "only Begotten", etc. So we have to ask if the "created" claim is required by the text, or if there is another possible interpretation that would be in harmony with the rest of scripture. And such an interpretation IS possible. This text would be in harmony with the rest of Scripture if it is using "Firstborn" to express a position of authority (as the Firstborn held in that time). Then the text simply means that Christ has authority over all creation.he is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation." Col 1:13-15