Regardless of my notoriety on Yahoo, I am well versed in Christianity, more specifically, Anglicanism. From childhood to my adulthood, I had a firm understanding of the Trinity. For example, Jesus is fully man and fully God. No Anglican I know would dispute that. Why do I keep seeing so many Yahoo answerers (who are Christians) quoting all manner of literature (inside and outside the Bible), saying that Jesus is not God – but the Son of God! Wouldn’t that be taking a primitive step back? It’s like saying Jesus is just a demigod, no different from Hercules! Or are these people just trying to show heathens that they are cool? I really hope you understand my question, because I haven’t had much luck with religious questions! Other faiths are welcome too, but seriously, you’d probably get a headache reading my words! Thanks.
2006-10-04 05:29:30 · 15 answers · asked by Yahoo user 4 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Let me clarify: I did not say that 'Son of God' equals 'not God'. I' was just quoting those people's words. They are not my words. And I don't understand why anybody here would want to condemn me even though i never said one word against you here. May your curses only return to you! Most of you are fine, don't worry.
2006-10-04 05:46:05 · update #1
The doctrine of the Holy Trinity in which the one true God is made up of three separate but equal persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, is shared by most Christian denominations including Roman and Orthodox Catholics, Lutherans, Anglicans, Baptists, Methodists, Presbyterians, Pentecostals, and Episcopalians.
With love in Christ.
2006-10-04 18:35:06 · answer #1 · answered by imacatholic2 7 · 5⤊ 0⤋
Catholics (east and west) as well as protestants all agree on this matter, it's very basic.
To reduce Jesus to 'The Son of God' but not God is a new fashion since I was in school. Then, it was all about de-mythologizing the New Testament, reducing it to something nobody would want to read.
It's still the same thing, to make the Infinite into something we can get our arms around. But God is too big to box.
2006-10-04 13:08:59 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I have gone to Pentecostal and Apostolic churches (I am still going).
Some people believe that God is on person with three offices (Oneness).
Others believe that there is 3 Gods but in one accord (Trinity).
I believe that there is a trinity.
I believe that Jesus has all power and authority (That makes Him God) just like the Bible says.
2006-10-04 12:38:02 · answer #3 · answered by tim 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Is Jesus "just" a son of God, Is Jesus equal to Hercules, No, he is not just a son, nor is he equal to Hercules..
The bible is very clear on who Jesus is,
John 3: 16"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.
Look up the word begotten in an English dictionary and you get: past tense of beget (v.) To cause to exist or occur; produce:
When was Jesus produced?, caused to exist?
Col 1:15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.
Rev 3: 14"To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the ]Beginning of the creation of God,
Jesus 60 years after he was resurrected continued to worship his Father.
Rev 3:12 'He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he will not go out from it anymore; and I will write on him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God, and My new name.
Jesus is not a mythical figure, He is the Only begotten Son,
Notice John 1:(NASB) 18No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him.
Jesus godship is equal to the human judges at Ps 82:6
Any power and authority Jesus has, has been given to him. It is not something he possessed.
Notice what Paul said Jesus' mental attitude is :
Rom 15:5Now may the God who gives perseverance and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus,
6so that with one accord you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
To be a Christian is to believe and live as Jesus did.
He said to worship Jehovah your God, (Matt ch. 4)
He said life was knowing the only true God (John 17:3
If you have any questions please go to
www.watchtower.org
2006-10-04 17:36:49 · answer #4 · answered by TeeM 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I suspect it's an honest misunderstanding on their part. It's hard to wrap your head around the idea of Christ being both God AND Man, let alone Son of God, Son of Man, and all the other titles He has. Jesus Himself seemed to enjoy the title Son of Man, as He uses it often in the gospels. But then, it was a new experience for Him. lol.
2006-10-04 12:41:46 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I am not a christian but as far as my understanding goes because he was sent by god for the sins commited by us, he is considered equivalent to god. He came to this world without any selfish motive, he suffered a lot for us, he gave his life for us. This is quite unlike others. Any great human being, no matter how great deeds that person may have done, he had some selfish motives, but this theory is not applicable to jesus christ or any god sent person, be it allah, buddha, mahavir jain, sri krishna, Ram, etc.
2006-10-04 12:43:01 · answer #6 · answered by smilingface 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Jesus is both God and the Son of God in the same way He is both fully human and fully divine. No, it doesn't make a lot of sense, but that's how it is.
And I know "We're not supposed to understand; it's a mystery" is a cop-out, but it's also the official explanation.
2006-10-04 12:33:52 · answer #7 · answered by LCG 4 · 2⤊ 1⤋
I don't say that. I say that they are all ONE, God in different forms: God the Father, God the son, and God the HOly Spirit.
2006-10-04 12:33:18 · answer #8 · answered by Gail R 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The Danish Christian philosopher Sören Kierkegaard tells the story about a king who fell in love with a peasant maiden. This king was the wealthiest, most respected, most powerful king in the entire region. No one dared oppose him or speak a word against him. But this king--as powerful and respected as he was--had a problem: How could he tell this maiden that he loved her? And how could he know for sure that she loved him?
The very fact that he was a king--rich, famous, and powerful--was a barrier.
He could lead an armed escort of knights to the door of her humble cottage, and he could demand, by his authority as king, that she marry him.
But that wouldn't do. The king didn't want a fearful slave for a wife. He wanted someone who would love him, someone to share his life, someone who would be happy and eager to spend her days at his side.
He could shower her with gifts and jewels and beautiful robes and--
No, no, that wouldn't do either. He didn't want to buy her love. He wanted her to love him for himself, not for his gifts and his wealth.
Somehow he had to find a way to win the maiden's love without overwhelming her, without destroying her free will. Somehow he had to make himself her equal.
So the king clothed himself in rags and went to her as a peasant. But the truly amazing thing is this: The king did not merely disguise himself as a poor man. He actually became poor! He loved this maiden so much that he renounced his throne, his wealth, and his kingly power to win her love!
This story is a beautiful parable of the story of Jesus as it is told by Jesus' friend John in his gospel. Jesus the King, the Creator, the source of Light and Life, has come to earth--not in disguise, but truly as one of us. God himself has come as a poor, humble, limited human being, subject to hunger, pain, temptation, and death. He has come because He loves us--and He has come to win our love. As we work our way through the gospel of John, we will see the love of God unfolding to us on every page.
- Ray C. Stedman
God's Loving Word
Exploring the Gospel of John
http://www.raystedman.org/john/john.html
2006-10-04 12:41:51 · answer #9 · answered by Bruce 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
There is a lot in Christianity that doesn't add up, that's true. But frankly, if someone wants to put their faith in that, even if it's unreasonable logic, that's their business. Someone people just need something to believe in because that's all they have in this shitty world. I won't be the one to take what little they have, will you?
2006-10-04 12:47:32 · answer #10 · answered by ineeddonothing 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋