Was Jesus the Son of God or God himself?

Question

Of course I don't expect this to be resolved, or fully answered, as it is one of the fundamental theological dichotomies of Christianity. But I thought it would be interesting to see the various interpretations from the religious members of this community.

I wounder how many of the faithful actually understand the trinity doctrine of christianity and what it really means. (I noticed on several answers to other questions that many people do not know what the bible actually says about this).

And no, this isn't a cynical question from a non-believer, it is a genuine question that may, perhaps, help you better understand YOUR faith.

Answer 1

My observation on the matter: different sects within the Christian religion have different interpretations of this, some think hes just the son, some think he was both son and God, some think he was just human but he used the word 'son' metaphorically because God was so loving etc.

Nothing conclusive, the more I listen to Christian views on this, the more I lose hope in the fact that there is some sense in the Bible, if its such a big thing, why has God allowed human beings to be so differentiated on this undoubtedly important matter?

its just not right..

am not even christian and i feel sorry when i realize people dont even have the same basic understanding of one of the tennets of their religion.

Answer 2

While I am not a Christian, I agree that the non-Trinitarian view of God seems more sensible. You might want to look at the non-Trinitarian versions of Christianity.

I would suggest looking into these Christian churches which are all non-Trinitarian: Jehovah's Witnesses, Christadelphians, Bible Students, American Unitarian Conference, Arian Catholic Church, Oneness Pentecostal, UU (Unitarian Universalist) Christian Fellowship, etc. Swedenborgianism (look up Swedenborg on Wikipedia) was also non-Trinitarian. I also believe the churches that sprang from Herbert Armstrong and retained his teachings are also non-Trinitarian (or unitarian - small "u").

While it is true that LDS Mormons do not believe in the Trinity, they have a doctrine of Godhead and eternal progression which is more polytheistic than monotheistic.

Answer 3

He is God the Son, second PERSON of the Holy Trinity. He is NOT God the Father, nor is He God the Holy Ghost.
Three persons, one God from eternity til eternity.
This is a mystery of faith. It cannot be comprehended or fully explained in human terms. This is the explanation provided by the apostles and the Church. It is supported by scripture but owes its revelation from the Holy Ghost to the apostles.

So.
The short answer is, He is both.
Amazing what God can accomplish despite what we cannot grasp.

Answer 4

The bible has nothing in it that would contradict an understanding that God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy spirit are one in purpose. There are quite a few scriptural references that would suggest that God and Jesus Christ were seperate people. For example, Christ prayed that his disciples would know thee God, AND JEsus Christ whom thou hast sent. Also STephen when he was being stoned to death saw the heavens open and saw JEsus standing on the right hand of the father... unless God is standing on his own hand it would be difficult to rationalize the understanding that they are only one mass. Another final answer would be when Christ was in the garden of Gethsemane and he asked God to remove the cup from him, but not MY will but THY will be done. So are there two wills or one? It is not a difficult question when you get down to the nuts and bolts. Now does that mean the Jesus Christ is somehow diminished to being human or that the Holy Ghost is any less of a part of the godhead? Nope. They are seperate beings, all with the same purpose. Christ said to pray to the father through him, that is a good way to clarify this any more. Good luck

Answer 5

One can not be a Christian and not believe that Jesus is God in the flesh. Jesus is God in the flesh and the second part of the Trinity. God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy spirit

Answer 6

Jesus IS God as Son of God. Son of God implies and indicates a share in the Divine Nature just as a son of a human implies and indicates a share in human nature. And although Jesus is totally God, He is not God all by Himself in that He equally shares the Divine Nature with God the Father and God the Holy Spirit. The second person of the trinity (God the Son) is Jesus in the flesh. Therefore Jesus is BOTH God (divine nature) and man (human nature).

Answer 7

God is an all pervading Omnipresent, Omnipotent and Omniscient Spirit. Humanity has varying degrees of theholy spirit. Yes Jesus was God in human Form. But alas the terrible treatment and torment meted to him at the hands of the rabble, leaves a deep psychological trauma in the hearts and very soul of christians. Theology is a Study of Religion. Religion a set discipline and statutes to live by.

We have laws to protect each citizen. And yet the most precious above all, was condemned and crucified by the mob. We carry the cross today. Silently.

Answer 8

"One of the creeds says that Christ is the Son of God "begotten, not created"; and it adds "begotten by his Father before all worlds." Will you please get it quite clear that this has nothing to do with the fact that when Christ was born on earth as a man, that man was the son of a virgin? We are not now thinking about the Virgin Birth. We are thinking about something that happened before Nature was created at all, before time began. "Before all worlds" Christ is begotten, not created. What does it mean? We don't use the words begetting or begotten much in modern English, but everyone still knows what they mean. To beget is to become the father of: to create is to make. And the difference is this. When you beget, you beget something of the same kind as yourself. A man begets human babies, a beaver begets little beavers and a bird begets eggs which turn into little birds. But when you make, you make something of a different kind from yourself. A bird makes a nest, a beaver builds a dam, a man makes a wireless set-or he may make something more like himself than a wireless set: say, a statue. If he is a clever enough carver he may make a statue which is very like a man indeed. But, of course, it is not a real man; it only looks like one. It cannot breathe or think. It is not alive.

Now that is the first thing to get clear. What God begets is God; just as what man begets is man. What God creates is not God; just as what man makes is not man. That is why men are not Sons of God in the sense that Christ is. They may be like God in certain ways, but they are not things of the same kind. They are more like statues or pictures of God." - C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

Answer 9

Jesus was the first CREATION of GODs', so since Jesus was CREATED I beleive this means Jesus had a beginning...And if Jesus were GOD he would not have had a beginning. So Jesus is NOT GOD. GOD is Jesus' Father and Jesus is GODS (Jehovahs) only-begotten son(directly created by Jehovah)...
And GOD almighty never has come down to Earth, if HE ever did we would positively die! (Moses only saw a bit of GODS' glory (burning bush...etc) and yet the bible says his face was radiating with light for a time after his 'speaking' with GOD (through an Angel obviously)) But Jesus has been down on Earth so this alone proves that Jesus is not the Almighty GOD. Not sure if you want scriptures... tell me if you do.

Answer 10

Well no he was a Prophet upon Jesus be peace

All these verse prove that he is not diety because:
-Jesus talked about God as His God, but God has no God. He talked to God as if they were seperate, if he was part of the same being then why would he need to talk. He could just think.


-Jesus prayed to God instead of to himself. Did Jesus worship himself? How is that possible!!


-Jesus got hungry and thirsty (Matt. 4:2; John 19:28), but God never gets hungry or thirsty (Psalm 50:9-13; Acts 17:25). How can a deity need food? that means he needs something, how can a god be in need? This negates deity.


-Jesus was tempted by the devil (Matt.4:1 & Heb.4:15), but God cannot be tempted (James 1:13). This means that the devil can control god, how can that be correct!


-Jesus learned obedience and grew up into a mature and perfect man (Hebrews 5:9), but God never changes (James 1:17). How can god grow? so was he eternally as a child or as an adult this is cannot be.


-Jesus was born and also died, but God is everlasting.

- The father is greater than I - this means he is not equal or eternal. Negating more facts that he is not a diety

This idea of sacrificial lamb comes from the pagan deity Mythra, he was known as the sacrifice that would bring the world out of sin. Yet this could any number of pagan deity's such as Baal, who is was believed was the son of the sun, he was born on December 25th, the exact time of the winter solstice and was killed for all our sins. Early christains used to worship on saturday and then it was changed to sun-day, the day of the sun!

The verses he has quoted is prove for sacrifice which was animal sacrifice not a human one. Human sacrifices were banned by God so why would he then change his mind!

We believe that Jesus is in heaven and will return to kill the dajjal or anti-christ.

I'd advise you check out Ahmed deedats work, you can view it here, you'll have to scroll and join then you can view the video is Jesus a god?

Muslims are bound to believe in the books that God/Allah sent to previous prophets. Although we cannot be certain of the content we are can read the texts but we cannot take laws from them. I have read both the old testement and the new one.

During the nicean creed more than 200+ gospels were thrown out including the gospel of Banarbus. If he was a god then everything he said would've been perfect and wouldn't need to be edited would it? Yet there are the apocraphal gospels which cause problems to the belief of trinity.

Is that why they weren't used?