by Blueblades 21 Replies latest jw friends
The following are my beliefs:
Jesus is Christ, Messiah, King of kings, Savior, Lord of lords, and God Almighty!
Jesus is The First and The Last, The Beginning and The End, The Alpha and The Omega!
Jesus is Yahweh, Jehovah, YHWH, THE LORD, I AM!
Jesus is NOT the Father or the Holy Spirit.
I believe Jesus is God manifested in the flesh. We cannot know who the Father is nor approach the Father except through Jesus. He is the perfect revelation of the Father. His Sonship is unique: "the only begotten." While angels, judges, and even men are called sons of God, none are Son in the same sense as Jesus. Begotten doesn't mean made or created. God can only beget God. Moreover, there is nothing that the Father can do that the Son cannot do. Having said that, doesn't mean that I believe they are the same individual or same Person, for they are not.
I think Jesus is a creator son. I think he created this entire local universe. He is a son of God, but he is NOT the second person of the trinity. He is not my father - he is my brother. And if I want to get to see God someday in the infinitely far off future, I will have to get past Jesus first.
A typical Christocentricapology, in my mind. First, Jesus indeed effected a tremendous change, however, by what criteria does one measure magnitude? If it is in numbers of declared followers, then Islam, which now is more numberous than Christianity, would challange. How many contributions to civilization can be attributed to Jesus, Muhammed, Zoroaster, Buddah, et al? Seems to me a confirmed Hindu would claim Christians and Muslims have contributed more hatred than love regardless of the teachings of their respective founders.
So what say you if you are aboriginal? Jesus has cause more pain and suffering than any other above named.
Interesting situation eh?
carmel
I still think that he is the son of God. That he is inferior to Jehovah, and created by Jehovah. That part of the teachings we received from the watchtower, I do agree with. But I don't know if Jesus and Michael the archangel are the same person. I have a hard time with that belief.
Neither did Charles Taze Russell, none of his writings ever supported that Jesus was Michael the Archangel. He never believed it. Until after his death, Judge Rutherford began to teach Jesus was Michael.
Background: Both of them were members of the Seventh Day Aventist. Betty White, the founder of the SDA taught that Jesus was Michael. However, CT Russell didn't believe it, but Rutherford did.
To support that, here's a quote directly from CT Russell himself,
'Jesus, means Savior, and we are carried forward from the mere word to the exalted official position, on account of which he can "save to the uttermost all who come unto God by him." His position is contrasted with that of men and angels, as he is Lord of both, having "all power in heaven and earth." Hence it is said, "Let all the angels of God worship him"; [that must include Michael, the chief angel, hence Michael is not the Son of God] and the reason is, because he has "by inheritance obtained a more excellent Name than they." Michael or Gabriel are perhaps grander names than Jesus, though Jesus is grand in it's very simplicity, but the official character of the Son of God as Savior and King is the inheritance from his Father, which is far superior to theirs, for it pleased the Father that in him all fullness should dwell.'[The Watchtower Reprints, November 11, 1879, p.48]
There you have it.
I think Jesus is who and what the Bible says he is. But there's the caveat. What does the Bible REALLY say about him? For that matter, what did he REALLY say about himself? Doctinal arguments seem to go on almost endlessly.
But, perhaps more than anything, Jesus was a DOER. For myself, then, I just focus on his directives to "Love God" and "Love your neighbor as yourself." If I continue to love God (whoever/whatever He is) and love my neighbor, pure and simple...well, I think the rest will sort itself out, and isn't all that important anyway.
A familiar passage from Matthew 5 (NIV):
43 You have heard that it was said, Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.
44 But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.
46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?
47 And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?
48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Craig
I believe that Jesus is a compilation of people. I believe that he was created to unify the various Christian beliefs during the infamous councils called by Constantine during creation of the Catholic chuch in the fourth century. I believe the two primary influences in the creation of the Jesus myth were Jesus de Pantera, and Appolonious of Tyenna. But hey, that's just my opinion.
Anton
He's the half-naked hispanic guy passed out on my couch...
Sorry, I'll get my pants back on and go home now....................... Thanks for the ink pens.
I'm still confused on that one.....I donot believe in the trinity,but I do believe Jesus and God are equal...not equal when Jesus was a man.
The bible supports that the two are equal,than is doesn't...
I that quote from Josephus blueblades? It sounds at least similar.
However it is not in the early manuscripts and so is a later addition. Even if it was in, the same guy said he saw Caesar ascend up to heaven too so I don't think he is a credible witness.
I think Jesus Christ is similar to Harry Potter - a good character in a good story but nothing worth dying for.
