... why do Christians refer to Jesus as the "Son of God" if they claim he is God, himself? That would mean that God didn't give up his only son to die on the cross, but he gave up himself, correct?
I know Jesus is part of the Holy Trinity, which makes up the Godhead. Thus, wouldn't be more correct to say "Jesus is part of the Godhead", rather than "Jesus is God"?
2006-07-20 07:51:33 · 34 answers · asked by Joa5 5 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
True.
God is kinda like an egg. An egg has three distinct parts; the shell, the white, and the yolk. All parts are egg, yet the egg would not be complete without all 3 parts... so it is with God the Father, Son, and Spirit.
2006-07-20 07:57:46 · answer #1 · answered by smartee 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
God is one, but God is also three.
According to typical mainstream Xian theology, there is only one God. However, God exists in three natures- God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.
Now comes the fun part - each of these is completely and fully God as an individual, BUT there's still only one of Him.
Confused? Good, you're supposed to be.
Believers will say that human reasoning is sinful so we can't grasp the concept of the Trinity.
Unbelievers will usually say that it's hogwash so it won't make sense to anybody.
The problem with saying Jesus was only part of the Godhead is that if he were less than fully God, his sacrifice wouldn't have been enough to atone for everybody's sins. So Jesus alone is completely God, and so are the other two natures of God. And it means God died. But then God turned his back on God when God was on the Cross, which doesn't make sense to us either.
So we all have to decide, does it not make sense to us b/c we're evil, or does it not make sense b/c it's not a rational statement?
2006-07-20 07:53:58 · answer #2 · answered by Trips 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You can't explain God, any more than you can command him to come down out of heaven. Jesus is part of the Godhead and Jesus is God. The whole meaning of the trinity is three in one. God did give himself up on the cross, in a way. The human mind is not capable of fully understanding God.
2006-07-20 07:55:01 · answer #3 · answered by Maedhros 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
He is referred to as the Son of God because of the fact he was born into a human body to fulfill the prophecies and become the savior. In Christianity the terms God and Godhead are synonimous, so there is no need to say or write the whole thing.
2006-07-20 08:00:18 · answer #4 · answered by El Pistolero Negra 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They refer to Jesus as the Son of God, because He is the only begotten of the Father. The only human with a God father. He is the God of the Old Testament, New Testament and Latter Day scripture. God the Father is His father. They are both Gods, but one in purpose along with the Holy Ghost, who is a personage of Spirit and not flesh, otherwise he could not dwell in us.
It is correct to say that Jesus is part of the Godhead and He is "Jesus is God" as you have stated as well. Under the direction of His/our Heavenly Father the earth was created. So Jesus Christ is the Creator of the earth under the direction of Heavenly Father, who's name is Elohim. Jesus's name is also known as Jehovah.
2006-07-20 07:58:27 · answer #5 · answered by Angel 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Actually Christians believe in one God with three co-equal parts. The three parts are capable of operating independently, but rarely do, since God is a single unified being. However, it would be equally correct to say that Jesus IS God (since all three parts of the Trinity are all equally a god), and to say that Jesus is the Son of God the Father (see below).
Several possible explanations for the Trinity; I will not try to cover them all, just my favorite. Keep in mind that a human can never completely understand God since he is something beyond our experience (Note, I did NOT say that we cannot understand God because our thinking is "sinful", as one smart mouth, above, said. I said that we humans are limited in both our experience and in our reasoning ability).
C.S. Lewis thought that the Son was begotten by the Father in the same way as a flame begets heat & light. The light of the flame is the natural "expression" of the flame that it creates by its very existence. So, God the Son is begat by the Father by the very existence of the Father (John, in the beginning of his Gospel, refers to Jesus as the "logos" (literally "word"), or "expression" of the Father).
And C.S. Lewis theorized that God the Holy Spirit might be the spirit of love that exists between the Father and the Son. It is the nature of God that his spirit has a life and mind of its own.
Try reading "Mere Christianity" by C.S. Lewis. You do not have to read it all; you can skip ahead to the chapters where he deals with the Trinity.
2006-07-20 08:09:21 · answer #6 · answered by Randy G 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Let me give an example, when you get married, the Bible says that you become one with your husband, you are meant to be a unit. However, while you are the married couple, you are still individuals.
God is God the Creator. Jesus is His Son who was sent to die for us so that we might be saved from sin. It doesn't matter which one you pray to because they are a unit (along with the Holy Spirit).
Plus, we aren't supposed to understand everything. If we understood everything, then we'd be God. And personally, I don't think I'd want to be in charge of the world. Thanks.
BTW, I like Randy's explanation. It's the most comprehensive and I am glad he countered the smart mouth comment ;)
That is a cool way of thinking about it God beget the Son like a flame begets heat and light....an expression...like God's expression of love was Jesus...
2006-07-20 08:13:48 · answer #7 · answered by operamemartexpo 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No Jesus is was fully human and fully God made flesh. God sacrificed His only begotten son because He loves us very much andso that mankind could be forgiven and rebridge the gap that sin created between man and God. .Jesus knew He was destined to die for us because it was all a part of the plan before Jesus was even born. It may sound crazy but that is where faith comes in along with the mysteries of life.
2006-07-20 07:58:11 · answer #8 · answered by PATRICIA M 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Jesus is the son of God. The Bible says he has a beginning, but God has no beginning. A son is lesser than his father. These things disprove the trinity because it says that all three are equal, and have always existed at the same time.
2006-07-20 07:56:25 · answer #9 · answered by 1big teddy graham 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Jesus is the son of God. Put it like this you are the son of your father, that does not make you your father. In the same way you are given some privileges for being his son. So Jesus is the son of God and so is God too. Like a mango of the mango tree. The mango cannot be called the tree, but is related by being of the tree and only once it dies and becomes a tree it self, then you can call it a mango tree, but it will always remain the mango of th mango tree.
2006-07-20 07:59:22 · answer #10 · answered by charmaine m 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋