If Jesus had said that He was God, his followers would have believed it. Then what would their idea of God be? That God was a man?
If he were in fact God, why wouldn’t he claim it? Plus, there would be no debate today about it, would there?
God isn't a man,
No, but Jesus was.
God is the All. Not a singular entity, in one place and not another. God does not live in a house or a space station or on a star.
Jesus said ..what do you mean when you say "Show us the Father"..you are looking at me, so you have seen the Father.
Another contradiction?
RSV Colossians 1:15 He is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of all creation;
RSV Hebrews 1:3 He reflects the glory of God and bears the very stamp of his nature, upholding the universe by his word of power. When he had made purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,
RSV John 1:18 No one has ever seen God; the only Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he has made him known.
RSV Exodus 33:20 But," he said, "you cannot see my face; for man shall not see me and live."
When He talked about the Spirit that He would send...that would come after Him. They would see Him no more, but the Spirit would make sure they got everything right as He inspired the OT prophets, He also said that He would never leave them, that he'd be with them forever. Even when 2 or 3 are gathered in His name, He'd be there too, but you wouldn't see Him.
I fail to see the relevancy of his being present, in spirit, with a trinity.
Jesus also said that even in the old days of Moses, Abraham, no one had seen the Father, no one can see God & live. Flesh does not belong in the Spirit world. It was the Word that testified that there is one true God. Jesus is the Word as John described. Without that revelation there is no known God, only alot of golden calves, and a god for every phenomenon that mean nothing. They were wasting their time. Nature is the way it is, stop worshipping it.
How could God stop being God, another comes along that is God ( as would be the case as Jesus called Him the only True God) and yet, Jesus goes back to being God? What happened to the other one that jesus said was the only true God? There is only one God, remember? I read that as for all time, not just for 33 ½ years.
The Jews were bent on the "Law", they used it as a punishment, a yoke. That was not the intention. [maybe in those days they were too barbaric to understand anything else] They used it and the "books of the law" to keep themselves separate, shutting up the divine for only the elite. To fix this mess, enter a man, Jesus. [fore-told in the bible because even God knows how many hairs are on our heads right at this moment!]
Again: If Jesus had said that He was God, his followers would have believed it. [he sure performed alot of miracles] Then what would their idea of God be? That God was a man?
Thank you for saying “enter a man,” not God.
RSV John 1:45 Philip found Nathana-el, and said to him, "We have found him of whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph."
You see, they were not looking for God or even a God man, but a man that would be sent by God.
"It is in Him [Christ] that all the fullness of the divine quality dwells bodily" Col 2:9 NWT
"For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form."NASB
RSV Colossians 1:19 For in him all the fulness of God was pleased to dwell,
NIV Colossians 1:19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him,
KJV Colossians 1:19 For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;
NAS Colossians 1:19 For it was the Father's good pleasure for all the fulness to dwell in Him,
As you can see, that fullness dwelled in him because it pleased the Father for it to.
Sidebar: This letter from Paul written to all those who were at Colossae extended to those at Laodicea which was about 11 miles away.
Russell said to be the rep from the Laodicea church described in Revelation 3:14, the lukewarm one. Funny how Paul had to correct
Col 2:2-4
..."the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God's mystery, that is, Christ Himself, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. I say this so that no one will delude you with persuasive argument.....
...8 See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ.
9 For in Him all the fullness of Diety dwells in bodily form, and in 10 Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority;...
You think this is Paul declaring Jesus to be God? Paul is doing no more than stating Jesus is the Messiah, not God. Remember, it too is Paul who wrote 1 Corinthians and stated that the Son was to be subjected to the Father after he turns over the kingdom to the Father.
How can he declare Jesus to be God in one letter, but declare him to be subservient to God in another? Because he is not declaring Jesus God, but is declaring him the Son of God, the appointed representative, the mediator of God and man, just as scriptures say.
It is philosophy from Plato and Socrates that has brought us the trinity, not scripture. So, I encourage all to seek the true menaing of these scriptures throughout and not rely on one or two verses taken out of context to prove a doctrine that obviously does not hold up to critical thinking.
Jer 17:10 I, Jehovah, am searching the heart, examining the kidneys, even to give to each one according to his ways, according to the fruitage of his dealings"Rev 2:23 I, [Jesus] am he who searches the kidneys and hearts, and I will give you individually according to your deeds."
And still yet, none can explain how there is only one true God, declared by Jesus himself but they still believe Jesus to be that true God who called another the only True God and there remains only one God!
As for who searches kidneys and hearts:
RSV John 5:26-27
26 For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself,
27 and has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of man.
RSV John 5:22 The Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son,
Jesus can do nothing of his own accord but does as the Father instructed him to do. As he also stated;
RSV John 4:34 Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of him who sent me, and to accomplish his work.
RSV John 5:36 But the testimony which I have is greater than that of John; for the works which the Father has granted me to accomplish, these very works which I am doing, bear me witness that the Father has sent me.
RSV John 17:4 I glorified thee on earth, having accomplished the work which thou gavest me to do;
At Gods command, if you will, he is finishing the work started by God and granted him, by God, to accomplish. If he were God, why would anything have to be granted him?