"WHO IS JESUS?"
This question has been asked many times over the years. The church I am a member of "Church of God (7th Day)", not adventist, a 7th day Sabbath organization, with headquarters in Denver, Colorado, does not believe or teach the trinity. There is only one GOD, God the Father, and only one son, Jesus Christ. The discussion our church has been having over the years, is Jesus's place in the God-head. Some say that Christ is God, who came in the flesh as Jesus in the womb of the virgin Mary. I do not believe that. If God came to earth as Jesus and died on the Cross, who was in charge at that time? Who was Christ talking to on the cross, when he said, "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do?"
What has upset many of our ministers over the years is they didn't feel we were giving Jesus his rightful place or enough respect, worship, and honor. God gave Christ a position of honor above the angels. Christ was God's only begotten son. God did not create Jesus as he did the earth, animals, man and the rest of the things He created on the earth. Christ was begotten of God, so he was part of God, but not God. Christ was the Word. John 1:1, 2 (KJV) "In the Beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." "All things were made by him (the Word); and without him was not any thing made that was made." John 1:14 "And the Word (Jesus) was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth."
One Elder in our church and I had a discussion on this subject just a few days ago. We thought we didn't agree on the relationship of God, the Father and Jesus, the only begotten son of the Father. But in our own way, we were saying we believed the same. Yes, Jesus was equal to God, but not God.
This Elder feels that maybe some day God and Jesus will be the same entity. I am not sure of that, but we both agreed that we do not feel this is something that would cause us not to receive salvation, if we believed it one way or another. I am thankful I am not the judge of such things. One scripture says that Jesus thought it not robbery to be equal with God. God gave him the power and honor equal to His own. Jesus is of the same substance as God and is part of God. It took part of God to begat Jesus.
I don't know of any scripture that says Jesus is God in the flesh. John 1:18 "No man hath seen God at any time......" If no one has seen God then God cannot be Jesus in the flesh. Many people saw Jesus. John was a forerunner of Christ and was sent to make the way for Christ. John 1:29 "The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world." John 1:30 "This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me." John 1:34 "And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God. (not God). Jesus was called the Son of God and the Son of man (flesh). John 1:51 "And he (Jesus) saith unto him (Nathaniel), Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man (Jesus)." John 3:34-36 "For he (Jesus) who God hath sent speaketh the words of God: (If God is Jesus, he would have said my words, not God's words, don't you think?)...... v.35 "The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand." (God turned all things over to Jesus.) v.36 "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him (the unbeliever).
There are many scriptures that bare witness that Jesus was the only begotten Son of God. Jesus cannot be the Son and the Father. There is only one GOD, the Father, and one Son, Jesus. Let's give Jesus his rightful place in our worship and praise, but do not teach that Jesus is God. May God bless you all. Continue to study the Bible with an open mind and pray for God's guidence in the truth.
Starlight*
What has upset many of our ministers over the years is they didn't feel we were giving Jesus his rightful place or enough respect, worship, and honor. God gave Christ a position of honor above the angels. Christ was God's only begotten son. God did not create Jesus as he did the earth, animals, man and the rest of the things He created on the earth. Christ was begotten of God, so he was part of God, but not God. Christ was the Word. John 1:1, 2 (KJV) "In the Beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." "All things were made by him (the Word); and without him was not any thing made that was made." John 1:14 "And the Word (Jesus) was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth."
One Elder in our church and I had a discussion on this subject just a few days ago. We thought we didn't agree on the relationship of God, the Father and Jesus, the only begotten son of the Father. But in our own way, we were saying we believed the same. Yes, Jesus was equal to God, but not God.
This Elder feels that maybe some day God and Jesus will be the same entity. I am not sure of that, but we both agreed that we do not feel this is something that would cause us not to receive salvation, if we believed it one way or another. I am thankful I am not the judge of such things. One scripture says that Jesus thought it not robbery to be equal with God. God gave him the power and honor equal to His own. Jesus is of the same substance as God and is part of God. It took part of God to begat Jesus.
I don't know of any scripture that says Jesus is God in the flesh. John 1:18 "No man hath seen God at any time......" If no one has seen God then God cannot be Jesus in the flesh. Many people saw Jesus. John was a forerunner of Christ and was sent to make the way for Christ. John 1:29 "The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world." John 1:30 "This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me." John 1:34 "And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God. (not God). Jesus was called the Son of God and the Son of man (flesh). John 1:51 "And he (Jesus) saith unto him (Nathaniel), Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man (Jesus)." John 3:34-36 "For he (Jesus) who God hath sent speaketh the words of God: (If God is Jesus, he would have said my words, not God's words, don't you think?)...... v.35 "The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand." (God turned all things over to Jesus.) v.36 "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him (the unbeliever).
There are many scriptures that bare witness that Jesus was the only begotten Son of God. Jesus cannot be the Son and the Father. There is only one GOD, the Father, and one Son, Jesus. Let's give Jesus his rightful place in our worship and praise, but do not teach that Jesus is God. May God bless you all. Continue to study the Bible with an open mind and pray for God's guidence in the truth.
Starlight*
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