by jonathan dough 204 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
–noun, plural -ties.
| 1. | a god or goddess. |
| 2. | divine character or nature, esp. that of the Supreme Being; divinity. |
| 3. | the estate or rank of a god: The king attained deity after his death. |
| 4. | a person or thing revered as a god or goddess: a society in which money is the only deity. |
| 5. | the Deity, God; Supreme Being. |
Jonathan,
Jeremiah sent me a pm and he stated that while Jesus is "a god" he is not the almighty God. He is using John 1:1 to support his view because like JWs (me thinks jeremiah is a bible student), he added "a" into the text. That is because his preconcieved view is that Jesus cannot be God, for Russell says this is so.
Like you already explained John 1:1 cannot be translated as "a god" but only as "God". It was Russell who originally added into this text and Bible Students and JWs to this day continue this error.
I am asking all those like him to explain to me whether or not they are saying Jesus is a false God as the scriptures say there is only one TRUE God. By process of elimation if Jesus is "a god" and not almighty God then he must be false. So if they insist of translating John 1:1 the way they are doing, they are indeed calling Jesus a false God. Don't they realize this?
One can argue that, when God said that he would make humans in "our image" he was referring to our divine nature.
Angels may be viewed as divine, but they are not God, so their nature would be divine as God's nature is Deity.
Semantics really when you get down to it, but it can help clear things up when getting mixed messages about the nature of "divine things".
the Divinity, (sometimes lowercase
According to this fourth definition they seem to be the same. Can one separate the Deity from the Divinity? I don't think so. And where does the Holy Spirit fit into either of these things?
Are you saying that divinity is in all things? Fecal matter? Satan's bowels?
Jeremiah sent me a pm and he stated that while Jesus is "a god" he is not the almighty God.
Oops. I thought you meant Jeremiah the prophet. Never mind. Agreed on what you said.
jonathan
Which one of you is claiming that Christianity teaches that God is everywhere? That the fullnes of the deity inhabits everything in the universe?
That's the question that I think would separate what I believe and what designs is suggesting. I do believe God can be seen in everything, and lives in His children, but that's not the same as the fullness of Deity dwelling in Christ. That not to say that he wasn't limited by human form, hence this verse:
Col 2:9
For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodilyform,
This only applies to Christ. Where as designs is suggesting it applies to everything in the universe or creation.
According to this fourth definition they seem to be the same. Can one separate the Deity from the Divinity? I don't think so. And where does the Holy Spirit fit into either of these things?
Are you saying that divinity is in all things? Fecal matter? Satan's bowels?
Eww, dude...
No, I mean that God's divine nature is in all his creations, but they doesn't mean we are God or that being God is a possibility, aside from a potential "oneness" with God.
When scripture says "we will be gods' and things along those lines, it is speaking of our POTENTIAL for being "divine" in nature, "perfect" like our Father is perfect.
Can we be perfect like God? No, but Jesus told us to be, for our nature to be "perfect" / divine like God's.
A goal to strive for if you will.
So yes, I beleive that God is everywhere and all his creations have a potential for "reclaiming" their divine nature.
PS
Can we be perfect like God? No, but Jesus told us to be, for our nature to be "perfect" / divine like God's.
I've found a better way to understand "perfect" in that sence, it means complete.
This only applies to Christ. Where as designs is suggesting it applies to everything in the universe or creation.
I understand and agree. That God is "in" everything is stretching semantics.
God is everywhere:
Jeremiah 23:24
24 Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the LORD. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the LORD.
Psalm 139: 5-10
5 You hem me in—behind and before;
you have laid your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too lofty for me to attain.
7 Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, a you are there.
9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
10 even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.
) the Deity.