Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Is Jesus the Son of God or God

Jesus Christ did not begin life here on earth. He himself spoke of his prehuman heavenly life. He talked about it often with this followers. The name Jesus (Gr., I‧e‧sous′) corresponds to the Hebrew name Jeshua (or, in fuller form, Jehoshua), meaning “Jehovah Is Salvation.” The name itself was not unusual, many men being so named in that period. Even my brother is named Jesus. LOL- For this reason persons often added further identification, saying, “Jesus the Nazarene.”

Christ is from the Greek Khri‧stos′, the equivalent of the Hebrew Ma‧shi′ach (Messiah), and means “Anointed One.” Whereas the expression “anointed one” was properly applied to others before Jesus, such as Moses, Aaron, and David, the position, office, or service to which these were anointed only prefigured the superior position, office, and service of Jesus Christ. Jesus is therefore preeminently and uniquely “the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

If the estimates of modern-day scientists as to the age of the physical universe are anywhere near correct, Jesus’ existence as a spirit creature began thousands of millions of years prior to the creation of the first human. Question is, Is Jesus God or is he the son of God? If you believe that Jesus and God are one in the same then you would have to say that God had a beginning since scripture tells us that Jesus had a beginning. This is confirmed by other texts identifying Jesus as the firstborn of all creation, the beginning of the creation by God. Not on earth but in the spirit realm. This is confirmed by Colossians chapter 1 verse 15 which confirms that Jesus was the firstborn of all creation. Which means before the Earth, Heavens, etc..

Jesus pointed to God as the Source of his life, saying, I live because of the Father. According to the context, this meant that his life resulted from or was caused by his Father again meaning created which again points to the fact that Jesus had a beginning. So if Jesus had a beginning and Jesus is God then who created God? Even Satan in the scriptures is called God. The Book of John chapter 3 verse 13 Jesus states that no man has ascended into heaven but he that descended from heaven thus showing that Jesus was in Heaven before coming to earth. What about Thomas. What did he mean when he said to Jesus " My Lord, My God"

On the occasion of Jesus’ appearance to Thomas and the other apostles, which had removed Thomas’ doubts of Jesus’ resurrection, the now-convinced Thomas exclaimed to Jesus: “My Lord and my God! [literally, “The Lord of me and the God (ho The‧os′) of me!”].” (Joh 20:24-29) Some scholars have viewed this expression as an exclamation of astonishment spoken to Jesus but actually directed to God, his Father. However, others claim the original Greek requires that the words be viewed as being directed to Jesus. Even if this is so, the expression “My Lord and my God” would still have to harmonize with the rest of the inspired Scriptures. Since the record shows that Jesus had previously sent his disciples the message, “I am ascending to my Father and your Father and to my God and your God,” there is no reason for believing that Thomas thought Jesus was the Almighty God. (Joh 20:17) John himself, after recounting Thomas’ encounter with the resurrected Jesus, says of this and similar accounts: “But these have been written down that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God, and that, because of believing, you may have life by means of his name.”—Joh 20:30, 31.

So, Thomas may have addressed Jesus as “my God” in the sense of Jesus’ being “a god” though not the Almighty God, not “the only true God,” to whom Thomas had often heard Jesus pray. (Joh 17:1-3) Or he may have addressed Jesus as “my God” in a way similar to expressions made by his forefathers, recorded in the Hebrew Scriptures, with which Thomas was familiar. On various occasions when individuals were visited or addressed by an angelic messenger of Jehovah, the individuals, or at times the Bible writer setting out the account, responded to or spoke of that angelic messenger as though he were Jehovah God. (Compare Ge 16:7-11, 13; 18:1-5, 22-33; 32:24-30; Jg 6:11-15; 13:20-22.) This was because the angelic messenger was acting for Jehovah as his representative, speaking in his name, perhaps using the first person singular pronoun, and even saying, “I am the true God.” (Ge 31:11-13; Jg 2:1-5) Thomas may therefore have spoken to Jesus as “my God” in this sense, acknowledging or confessing Jesus as the representative and spokesman of the true God. Whatever the case, it is certain that Thomas’ words do not contradict the clear statement he himself had heard Jesus make, namely, “The Father is greater than I am.”—Joh 14:28.

Prior to Jesus’ birth on earth, angels had appeared on this planet in human form, apparently materializing suitable bodies for the occasion, then dematerializing them after completing such assignments. (Ge 19:1-3; Jg 6:20-22; 13:15-20) They thus remained spirit creatures, merely employing a physical body temporarily. This, however, was not the case with the coming of God’s Son to earth to become the man Jesus. John 1:14 says that “the Word became flesh and resided among us.” For that reason he could call himself “the Son of man.” (Joh 1:51; 3:14, 15) Some draw attention to the expression “resided [literally, “tented”] among us” and claim this shows Jesus was, not a true human, but an incarnation. However, the apostle Peter uses a similar expression about himself, and Peter was obviously not an incarnation.—2Pe 1:13, 14.

So again it's clear that Jesus was in Heaven before coming to Earth. What's also clear is that Jesus had a beginning since he was first in all creation. Interesting isn't it...

Tomorrow we will change subjects for a bit. Peaces...

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