This is a sample guest message. Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!
Yes of course Jesus is Truth. But probably not in the same way you do and most Trinitarians as well. Focused so much on the divinity and eternality of Christ you forget when to Interpret passages where he acts, says and does from His full Humanity.
And the Word was God. What God sees the Word does as well because God's Word is contained in Him until He chooses to express it in some form; donkey, burning bush, voice from heaven and fully and completely forever in Jesus Christ.
Realizing yes? that the majority of readers or visitors are of this world, and can in no way understand spiritual.
I think or at least hope you know that the Father YHVH has no "parts", as written He Is Spirit (not "a" spirit).
We must first acknowledge that we cannot limit God or confine Him to our human understanding—He is capable of doing anything according to His will. God the Father is Spirit and is omnipresent, meaning He is fully present in all places at all times. This omnipresence includes His full indwelling in Christ, who is the manifestation of God in the flesh, while simultaneously remaining everywhere else. Thus, in the mystery of the Incarnation, God is both Father and Son—Father in the sense that He is the divine source of the human nature of Jesus, and Son in that He took on human form and lived among us. This profound truth reveals the complexity and unity of God’s nature, where He is both fully God and fully man, without contradiction.
That's the excuse always given. But it's nonsense.
Dismissing the profound truths of God’s nature as "nonsense" overlooks the depth of divine revelation found in Scripture. The Bible consistently presents God as both transcendent and immanent—beyond human understanding yet revealing Himself in ways we can grasp. In Deuteronomy 29:29, we are reminded that "the secret things belong unto the Lord our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children forever." While the full nature of God may be beyond our comprehension, the Incarnation is a revealed truth that invites us to humbly accept the mystery of God manifesting in the flesh. This is not an excuse but a recognition of the divine complexity that God, in His wisdom, has chosen to disclose to humanity.
It's essential to understand that God's nature is inherently truthful and faithful. The Bible reveals that "God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent" (Numbers 23:19). In the context of Jesus’ humanity, while He experienced genuine human emotions and limitations, His divine nature remained consistent with the attributes of God. Jesus, in His humanity, did not possess the capability or desire to lie, as lying is contrary to the essence of God’s nature, which is truth. The Incarnation did not alter or compromise God's divine attributes; rather, it demonstrated how God’s unchanging nature interacts with human limitations. Therefore, while Jesus’ human experience was real, His divine nature remained fully aligned with truth and righteousness.
The question of whether God could create something too large for Him to lift can be approached by understanding the nature of divine omnipotence. God’s omnipotence is not about paradoxical impossibilities but about His ability to accomplish His will within the bounds of His own nature. The idea of creating something “too large to lift” is a logical paradox that does not reflect on God’s power but rather on the limits of human logic and language. God's omnipotence includes His ability to work within the mystery of the Incarnation, where He manifested Himself in human form while remaining omnipresent. The apparent contradiction in the question does not reflect on God’s power but rather highlights the limitations of human understanding when trying to grasp the nature of divine omnipotence and the mystery of the Incarnation. God's nature is not subject to human constraints or paradoxes but is wholly consistent with His attributes of power and omnipresence.
Dismissing deep theological truths as "church psychobabble" reflects a misunderstanding of the spiritual and doctrinal foundations of the Christian faith. It is essential to recognize that the teachings of the Church are grounded in the Word of God and are meant to guide believers into a deeper understanding of divine truths. 1 Corinthians 2:14 explains that "the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him." The mysteries of God, including the Incarnation, are spiritually discerned and require faith and humility to understand. Rather than dismissing these teachings, we are called to seek God with an open heart, trusting that His wisdom is greater than our own.
I am seeking to transcend the limitations and misconceptions that many people impose on God's nature, aiming to understand Him beyond the constraints of their preconceived notions. The charge of "putting God in a box" suggests an attempt to limit or constrain God’s nature, but Oneness theology actually seeks to uphold the full and unified nature of God as revealed in Scripture. Far from confining God, it strives to understand and express the mystery of His being as both Father and Son. God’s omnipresence, omnipotence, and omniscience are affirmed within this framework, recognizing that while our human understanding is limited, God’s revelation in Christ provides a coherent and profound understanding of His nature. The aim is not to limit God but to faithfully reflect the biblical witness of His nature and work. Acknowledging the mystery of the Incarnation and the unity of God’s nature as Father and Son respects the divine mystery while affirming the truths revealed in Scripture.
The real reason you came here was to get inside the box.
It's important to approach each other with love and respect, especially when discussing matters as profound as our understanding of Jesus and the Word of God. The goal of any conversation about faith should be to build one another up, not to tear each other down. In Ephesians 4:15, we are reminded to "speak the truth in love," meaning that our words should be both truthful and gracious, aiming to encourage rather than wound.
Yes it is true that there are many in Scripture who are called Sons of God and yet none of them are God. So what we can gather from context about the meaning of "Son of God" is that it's possible to be "Son of God" without oneself actually being God.
John is not suggesting that a believer will never sin, but rather that a true child of God will not live in habitual, unrepentant sin. The transformative power of the Holy Spirit within a believer empowers them to overcome sin and live a life that reflects the righteousness of Christ. Therefore, it is the abstinence from sin, coupled with a life of righteousness, that serves as evidence of our status as children of God.
You can lose your salvation according to Scripture, but that is not really the topic of this thread. However, since that's an important topic, then it should be noted that your final judgement will be based on the decisions you decided to make while still alive.
Another point regarding Jesus not being God is that we will be conformed to his image. Jesus in the image of God, we in the image of Jesus, then we are in the image of God. Since we are not God regardless of being in His image, then neither is Jesus.
This line of reasoning misunderstands the nature of both Jesus’ divinity and the concept of being made in the image of God. When the Bible speaks of humanity being made in the image of God (Genesis 1:27) or being conformed to the image of Christ (Romans 8:29), it is referring to a reflection of God’s character, moral qualities, and spiritual likeness, not a replication of His divine essence.
The line of reasoning I offered you was sound so we will go through all of the points you just provided and demonstrate how they aren't unique to Jesus.
When Colossians 1:15 describes Jesus as "the image of the invisible God," it emphasizes His unique role as the visible manifestation of God. Jesus, as God incarnate, perfectly reveals the Father, not merely as a reflection but as the very embodiment of God's nature. Christians being conformed to the image of Jesus (Romans 8:29) refers to the process of sanctification, where believers are molded to reflect the character, love, and holiness of Christ. This transformation makes us more like Jesus in our moral and spiritual conduct, but it does not equate us with His divine essence. Jesus' image-bearing is intrinsic and eternal, whereas ours is derivative and dependent on His transformative work within us.
Colossians 2:9 declares that "in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily," signifying that Jesus possesses the complete nature of God in a physical form. This is a unique attribute of Christ, affirming His deity and His role as the visible expression of God. Ephesians 3:19, which speaks of believers being "filled with all the fullness of God," is about the spiritual experience of God's presence and power in the life of a Christian. It reflects our growing capacity to experience and manifest God's love, but it does not imply that we possess the divine nature in the same way Jesus does. The fullness in believers is a result of our union with Christ, whereas in Jesus, it is inherent.
Hebrews 1:3 describes Jesus as "the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His being," underscoring His unique identity as the perfect expression of God's essence. Jesus is not merely like God; He is God, sharing the same substance and nature. When Scripture calls believers to be "perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect" (Matthew 5:48), or to put on "the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness" (Ephesians 4:24), it is speaking of moral and spiritual conformity, not ontological equality. Our call to be like God refers to living out His attributes, such as love, holiness, and righteousness, but it does not suggest that we become God in essence. Jesus' exact representation is a reflection of His divinity, whereas our likeness to God is an expression of our renewed character through the Holy Spirit.
The assertion that "since we are not God in the flesh despite all of the things we have in common with Jesus, then Jesus isn't God either," fundamentally misunderstands the nature of Jesus' divinity and the distinction between Christ and believers. While it is true that believers are called to reflect the character and holiness of Christ, this does not diminish or negate Jesus' unique identity as God incarnate.
Jesus isn't God though so I believe you got the wrong idea. If you will read John 17:3, it's pretty quick to understand that Jesus isn't the true God. This is also confirmed in 1 Corinthians 8:6, Ephesians 4:6, and 1 John 5:20 explicitly. There are also miscellaneous denials by Jesus of him being God, Mark 10:18 being the most clearest and Jesus never said he was God and apparently no one believed he's God in scripture.