Do you believe Yeshua IS God or that Yeshua is YHWH's son and not part of a "trinity"?

Question

A friend of mine is a Jehovah's Witness and we discuss this a lot. Though I'm not a JW myself (I was raised Baptist), I have never really subscribed to Jesus as being God, but rather taking Jesus at what He said: that is, His being the Son of God, which He constantly states in the Gospels. What do the Messianic's believe? Thanks:-)

Answer 1

It is true that many people believe that among professed Christians, only Jehovah's Witnesses reject the doctrine that Jesus Christ is God Almighty and part of a Trinity. This, however, is not true. There are actually countless professed Christians, found in different denominations – and even sitting on different ends of the same pew - who also do not believe that Jesus is God Almighty.

Many people can direct attention to such scriptures as Philippians 2:5-7 or John 1:1 which certainly seem to suggest that Jesus is God Almighty. It should be noted, however, that such scriptures speak only of two persons at the most. [The Trinity doctrine calls for the father, the son and the Holy Spirit to be co-eternal, co-equal and co-almighty.]

According to Jesus' own words at John 10:35, no scripture can be nullified. So then, John 17:3 – where Jesus calls his heavenly father the only true God – cannot be nullified. Moreover, John 20:17 – where Jesus plainly states he has not yet ascended to his God - cannot be nullified. Furthermore, Revelation 3:12 – where the resurrected Jesus calls God his God – cannot be nullified.

Neither Philippians 2:5-7 nor John 1:1 can be nullified. Neither can Habakkuk be nullified where we plainly read that God cannot die. God's death is an impossibility. The Bible nowhere qualifies this by saying that God "cannot die unless he is in human form". There is no such qualification found anywhere in scripture. God cannot die – period. Compare, for instance, the scripture which teaches that it is impossible for God to lie. Are we to believe that God could lie in human form? Is that reasonable? Of course not.

How, then, are we to reconcile all of these scriptures? How are we to understand them? If one were to come to the table with the Bible of his choice and do a careful reading of all scriptures dealing with God and Jesus Christ – and this independent of any reference whatsoever to the doctrine of the trinity – one should be guided to the very scriptural and inescapable conclusion that Jesus is just what he said he is – the son of God and not God Almighty.

Hannah J Paul

Answer 2

Yeshua is the correct name for Jesus as pronounce in Hebrew (as far as we know!)

It is interesting how many do not understand that the Father also has a name as well. I always find this Scripture especially interesting when talking about the Father and the Son. What do you think?

"Who has ascended to heaven that he may descend? Who has gathered the wind in the hollow of both hands? Who has wrapped up the waters in a mantle? Who has made all the ends of the earth to rise? What is his name and what the name of his son, in case you know?" -Proverbs 30:4

Of those that are claiming to be "Messianic Jews" I believe they are still waiting on the Messiah and do not recognize Yeshua to be the one that was identified in Daniel 9:24-26 although I personally recognize he as that same "Anointed One" or Messiah.

Here is some research that I have previously posted regarding the origin of the Trinity Doctrine:

The New Encyclopædia Britannica says: “Neither the word Trinity, nor the explicit doctrine as such, appears in the New Testament, nor did Jesus and his followers intend to contradict the Shema in the Old Testament: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord’ (Deut. 6:4). . . . The doctrine developed gradually over several centuries and through many controversies. . . . By the end of the 4th century . . . the doctrine of the Trinity took substantially the form it has maintained ever since.”—(1976), Micropædia, Vol. X, p. 126.

The New Catholic Encyclopedia states: “The formulation ‘one God in three Persons’ was not solidly established, certainly not fully assimilated into Christian life and its profession of faith, prior to the end of the 4th century. But it is precisely this formulation that has first claim to the title the Trinitarian dogma. Among the Apostolic Fathers, there had been nothing even remotely approaching such a mentality or perspective.”—(1967), Vol. XIV, p. 299.

In The Encyclopedia Americana we read: “Christianity derived from Judaism and Judaism was strictly Unitarian [believing that God is one person]. The road which led from Jerusalem to Nicea was scarcely a straight one. Fourth century Trinitarianism did not reflect accurately early Christian teaching regarding the nature of God; it was, on the contrary, a deviation from this teaching.”—(1956), Vol. XXVII, p. 294L.

According to the Nouveau Dictionnaire Universel, “The Platonic trinity, itself merely a rearrangement of older trinities dating back to earlier peoples, appears to be the rational philosophic trinity of attributes that gave birth to the three hypostases or divine persons taught by the Christian churches. . . . This Greek philosopher’s [Plato, fourth century B.C.E.] conception of the divine trinity . . . can be found in all the ancient [pagan] religions.”—(Paris, 1865-1870), edited by M. Lachâtre, Vol. 2, p. 1467.

John L. McKenzie, S.J., in his Dictionary of the Bible, says: “The trinity of persons within the unity of nature is defined in terms of ‘person’ and ‘nature’ which are G[ree]k philosophical terms; actually the terms do not appear in the Bible. The trinitarian definitions arose as the result of long controversies in which these terms and others such as ‘essence’ and ‘substance’ were erroneously applied to God by some theologians.”—(New York, 1965), p. 899.

Answer 3

This undertaking could nicely be debated till the cows come domicile. What may be the component? Will it get any extra human beings into Heaven? What human beings truly need to have confidence is they're sinners no longer able to save themselves (Romans 3:23), have confidence Jesus died for all of the sins of their existence to purchase their forgiveness (Colossians 2:13-14), have confidence that God raised Him from the ineffective (Romans 10:9), and that they have ask Him to be their Savior and have confidence by way of faith that he will agree (Matthew 7:7-8). That Jesus (as a guy) now sits on the suited hand of the father is information he's sinless (Habakkuk a million:13). through fact Jesus is the 1st culmination it is likewise information our our very own eventual resurrection (a million Corinthians 15:23). And the only artwork God demands human beings is to have confidence in Jesus (John 6:28-29).

Answer 4

The thing is - I read a lot and I consider a lot. And the more I read, and the more I consider, the more I doubt the veracity of.

Its a bit like believing that 1 + 1 = 2....you are taught that it is absolute, and there shall be NO deviation from that, then you talk to Accountants who ask you "What would you LIKE it to add up to?"

And suddenly you realise that 1 + 1 = 7 (less depreciation allowance, plus Capital Growth, less Tax Credits, plus Interest earned, divided by the Consumer Price Index, take away Capital Losses over the past 5 years....etc, etc.

And suddenly, and without warning, you come out on top!

I encourage people to NOT take the "Word of God" as literal truth. We have lots of "wriggle room" here, and we can STILL "go to heaven".

Answer 5

I am a Muslim if you read the Gospel of Marks, it says in Mark, Jesus is not generally recognized as the Son of God, except by demons (whom he commands to silence) and at his death. Jesus uses parables to teach spiritual lessons in terms that people could identify with. So because some of the people did not understand and wanted to take what he said in their own way.. people are mislead he is only a Prophet...he is not God nor is he the son of God, There is only one God and he is Allah(swt) the God of Abraham

Answer 6

Jehovah's Witnesses love and respect and honor Christ (or "Yeshua"/"Jesus"). However, Jehovah's Witnesses believe that the Scriptures quite plainly demonstrate that Jesus and the Almighty are separate distinct persons, and the Almighty created Jesus as His firstborn son.

(Colossians 1:15) the firstborn of all creation

(Mark 10:18) Jesus said to him: 'Why do you call me good? Nobody is good, except one, God.

(Revelation 3:14) the Amen says, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation by God

(Philippians 2:5-6) Christ Jesus, who, although he was existing in God's form, gave no consideration to a seizure, namely, that he should be equal to God

(John 8:42) Neither have I come of my own initiative at all, but that One sent me forth

(John 12:49) I have not spoken out of my own impulse, but the Father himself who sent me has given me a commandment as to what to tell and what to speak

(John 14:28) I am going my way to the Father, because the Father is greater than I am

(1 Corinthians 15:28) But when all things will have been subjected to him, then the Son himself will also subject himself to the One who subjected all things to him

(Matthew 20:23) this sitting down at my right hand and at my left is not mine to give, but it belongs to those for whom it has been prepared by my Father

(1 Corinthians 11:3) I want you to know that the head of every man is the Christ; ...in turn the head of the Christ is God

(John 20:17) I am ascending to my Father and your Father and to my God and your God.

(Deuteronomy 6:4) Jehovah our God is one Jehovah

(1 Corinthians 8:4-6) There is no God but one. For even though there are those who are called "gods," whether in heaven or on earth, just as there are many "gods" and many "lords," there is actually to us one God the Father, out of whom all things are, and we for him

Thanks again for an opportunity to share what the bible actually says about the distinct persons of Jesus Christ the Son and Jehovah God the Father!

Learn more!
http://watchtower.org/e/ti/index.htm?article=article_05.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/20050422/
http://watchtower.org/e/20020515/
http://watchtower.org/e/rq/index.htm?article=article_03.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/lmn/index.htm?article=article_04.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/pr/index.htm?article=article_04.htm

Answer 7

Philippians 2:6

Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,


*** What does the above statement tell you? It tells you that its not human business to know the details. If even Jesus considers it to be a concept beyond grasp, what more for humans?

Don't waste time trying to understand how this concept works, cos it won't be necessary for your salvation. Don't try to fly when you can't even crawl. What is necessary for salvation is whether you are doing God's work and living according to His Spirit.


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Answer 8

I'm a Christian, and I've always asked myself the same thing. I think of Jesus as God, because I can't seem to separate the two in my mind, and if I think of Jesus and God as two separate entities, I feel like I'm worshipping two Gods. Good question, though.

Answer 9

YHW, the Elohim, Yahshua the Messiah

I simply see it as a force that we can manifest in the flesh while inhabiting our earthly lives

Answer 10

i believe that Jesus is the son of God, and he also IS God... the whole trinity thing. it's in the bible, such as, for example, the scriputer 'the Word was with God and the Word WAS God', "Word" being one of the names of Jesus (it's a greek to english translation thing).