Follow-up: Why do some Christians say that Jesus IS God, and others say that he is not but IS the Son of God?

Question

I have asked this question, as have others. As I have said, I was raised to believe that Jesus IS the Son of God, not that He IS God.

The typical response is "The Trinity" but then follows the claim that the Trinity is very difficult to understand and explain, yet the expectation is that one will simply accept it.

Others point out passage from scripture where Jesus says "I AM" and is called a blasphemer and almost stoned.

Then others note Biblical passages where Jesus differentates Himself from God.

(Please see another's post:
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=Aiuqn..v0WevJpem5Me0AOPzy6IX?qid=20060723172932AAwUBg5)

So does this mean that only some Christians truly understand what Jesus is? Did I spend years following the wrong teachings?

I realize that there are hundreds of denominations of Christianity, but isn't this a doctrine that ALL Christians should agree on?

Answer 1

I have been told that Jesus was the human extension of God -- he himself as a sort of avatar, come to earth to save all humankind by the ultimate act of kindness -- dying for all of our sins as a human, losing his only son as a father and accending to the father's home, as we can in his path, in everlasting peace. Don't make being a Christian so complicated. It is, on the most elemental level, ' to be Christ-like'.
So be good -- and at peace. And, by the way, it's OK to question -- He understands.

Answer 2

No you are correct, Jesus is NOT God. Check these scriptures out Matt. 24:6 which says no one knows the hour of the end except the Father...not the Son nor the angels. (read it) Jesus spoke to his Father, while he was on the stakeLuke 23: 34 (read that.) why would he ask his Father to forgive the people who did that to him if he himself is God? and Luke 23:46, when he said, "Father into YOURhands I entrust my spirit....?" Does it also make sense that Jesus would pray to himself? which he also does? And when he was baptized why would he throw his voice to come from heaven to say, "....this is my Son...." at Matthew 3:17. And when he was tempted by Satan why did Satan himself acknowledge that Jesus is God's Son by saying, "If you are a son of God...." these can be found at Matthew 4:2-7 and Luke 4:1-12. Also Why does the scriptures say, "God gave his only begotton Son...." (John 3;16). Because if God is Jesus and Jesus id God why don't the scriptures just say God gave himself for us. You NEVER hear anyone say God gave himself, it's always God gave HIS SON. So yeah Jesus IS God's Son, Satan even knows that.

Answer 3

As a Mormon, I believe that Jesus is the only physically Begotten Son of God, and that he is the God of the Old Testiment... having created the worlds physically after God the Father had created them in Spirit...

I believe that God the Father, Jesus his only Begotten Son, and the Holy Spirit are three distinct beings... with one purpose and will... the will and purpose of God the Father...

I believe that Jesus is God the Father's Perfect and obedient Son...

the next time you read the Bible... keep those things in mind while you read... you do not need to believe them... but to me.. they explained a lot ... like in 1st John... In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God (I'm not sure of the exact verses just now... but you can read them)

Answer 4

He is how the Lord helped me to understand
God made man from the beginning in His likeness and image...Genesis 1:26. And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: The image of God is different from his likeness....this would help to understand the triune nature of God....

The Lord helped me to understand this simply...
First look in a mirror...How many do you see??..1
but how many does it take to make you as a person?? 3
Body,,.soul,,.and spirit....this is how God made us ..and this is how he is ...God is the Father son and Holy Ghost...
1 John 5; 7. For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.

Jesus when he came into the earth came to do many things so many the bible says that the books written could not be contained in the world....ok but..if you outlined at least 5 points..1 of the points would be..that he came to be an example to all men...in the book of Matthew Jesus was asked to teach us to pray and He did...but to show an example he prays in John 17 and he prays and in the prayer it looks as though he is praying to another...separate from himself (if he is God)...BUT...he was doing this because He was to point the way to the Father yet he was still God...HE DID IT FOR AN EXAMPLE...God bless

Answer 5

I totally agree with you. When I have asked, how Jesus could be God and the Holy Spirit, it was explained to me as a divine mystery. So I started studying the bible for myself, and I have found the truth. God and Jesus are separate. They are in union as one. (like a husband and wife are in union, but they are still two different people) And I guess the real clincher for ,me to believe that they are two separate beings is the fact that, when Jesus was in the garden of Gethsemane he prayed to God! He asked God to remove this cup if at all possible, but not HIS will be done, but God's. And the final-- Jesus was praying so hard to HIS Father that he was actually sweating blood, not to mention he was scared, he had to be, he knew what was in store for him. To me Jesus was God's son and knowing this just has more meaning to me that he gave his only begotten son in order that our sins could be forgiven. If God had sent himself down, he would not have fell, whereas a son had a free will choice in the matter. After all Satan did tempt him several times. Thank God Jesus stayed strong. He did not disappoint his Father like Adam and Eve did!

Answer 6

Thios hjas been well answered by thinking people. As to Jesus being "WITH" God, this is shown as Proverbs 8; 22-31
22 “Jehovah himself produced me as the beginning of his way, the earliest of his achievements of long ago. 23 From time indefinite I was installed, from the start, from times earlier than the earth. 24 When there were no watery deeps I was brought forth as with labor pains, when there were no springs heavily charged with water. 25 Before the mountains themselves had been settled down, ahead of the hills, I was brought forth as with labor pains, 26 when as yet he had not made the earth and the open spaces and the first part of the dust masses of the productive land. 27 When he prepared the heavens I was there; when he decreed a circle upon the face of the watery deep, 28 when he made firm the cloud masses above, when he caused the fountains of the watery deep to be strong, 29 when he set for the sea his decree that the waters themselves should not pass beyond his order, when he decreed the foundations of the earth, 30 then I came to be beside him as a master worker, and I came to be the one he was specially fond of day by day, I being glad before him all the time, 31 being glad at the productive land of his earth, and the things I was fond of were with the sons of men.

Answer 7

Any Christian who says that Jesus is part of a trinitarian God does NOT know Jesus. He says himself that there will be those who claim to know him, even those who perform miracles in his name and yet he will say to them, "I never knew you." Jesus is the firstborn of all creation according to Colossians 1:15 and confirmed by his own words in the book of Revelation. He was "with" God when the earth was created. You are right to believe he is God's son.

Answer 8

Jesus IS God! ah! The father, the son, and the holy spirit are all God! True Christians should get that!

Answer 9

Read one person's struggle with this issue at www.jesusthemuslim.com. He goes into a lot of detail about his problems with the Trinity, and how Jesus' original message has been changed over the centuries. It is very interesting.

Answer 10

Okay, this is what I have always been taught.
God and Jesus are one in spirit. Jesus was sent to us as an extension of God so to say. He was not just some messenger, he was God's will in a earthly body.