Interesting Take on ""I am the way and the truth and the life...

[fallingblood]

Originally Posted by angellous_evangellous

Talk about using a cannon to kill a mosquito.

Looking at Villagers response, I probably should have tried to use dynamite instead. Or maybe a pitchfork, repeatedly thrusted.

[look3467]

HeretoPhilosophize, I will give you my take on it so as to give god the credit for a well planed out event.

First we have a lost world. Second, God chooses a people to represent His laws.
Third, He re-introduces the tree of life to a lost world as Jesus.
Fourth, because the chosen people were the only people to have a relationship with Him via the prophets, the patriarchs, while the rest of the world had none.
Fifth, in order for God to reach out to the rest of the lost world He had to come to His own and be rejected, thus giving the rest of the world the same opportunity to access Him.
Hence, the "cutting off" of the chosen by the statement of Jesus. "I am the way.........." and the cutting off of Jesus as well at the cross.

That is the original intent for that verse, but is also applicable as a requirement, because in reality, it is the truth.

So, what ever belief one holds does in no way deter the work of Jesus, but does remain an option to want to believe in Him or not.

The invitation is out, come if you will.

Blessings, AJ

[Villager]

Originally Posted by fallingblood

Looking at Villagers response, I probably should have tried to use dynamite instead. Or maybe a pitchfork, repeatedly thrusted.

The sound and fury of the disarmed.

[javajo]

Originally Posted by HeretoPhilosophize

But what they all share in common is they all follow Christ's teachings

So, what did Jesus teach?

And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. Mark 8:31
And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this? John 11:26

Romans 5:8 says, But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. I believe if we believe in Christ, that he died to pay the penalty of our sin (death), we are freely and eternally saved. This is what I believe Christ meant when he said in John 3 and 12, 14And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: 15That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 32And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. 33This he said, signifying what death he should die.

When those bitten by deadly serpents in the wilderness looked to the bronze serpent on the pole Moses lifted up, they lived. Likewise when we trust Christ who died to pay the penalty of our sins (death), we also live eternally.

[9-10ths_Penguin]

Originally Posted by HeretoPhilosophize

...No one comes to the Father except through me."

I notice that Jesus never directly states that one must believe in the 100% literal interpretation that He is the Son of God. Is Jesus merely saying that believing in His teachings--in particular His teachings about morality, forgiveness, and loving thy neighbor--are what is required to get into Heaven?

Didn't Jesus also say something like "what you do to the least of your brothers, you do to me"? I think what you're saying fits fairly well with this idea that acceptance of Christ is reflected (or maybe actualized) in care and concern for others.

[javajo]

Originally Posted by 9-10ths_Penguin

Didn't Jesus also say something like "what you do to the least of your brothers, you do to me"? I think what you're saying fits fairly well with this idea that acceptance of Christ is reflected (or maybe actualized) in care and concern for others.

One who has trusted in Christ will love others with the love of Christ in real, practical ways.

[Muffled]

Originally Posted by HeretoPhilosophize

...No one comes to the Father except through me."

I notice that Jesus never directly states that one must believe in the 100% literal interpretation that He is the Son of God. Is Jesus merely saying that believing in His teachings--in particular His teachings about morality, forgiveness, and loving thy neighbor--are what is required to get into Heaven?

I do not mean to start up any kind of angry debate here. I'm new to the forum and am just genuinely interested to hear other ideas on this. I realize my theory flies in the face of Fundamentalism, but I tend to lean towards Christian Humanism, so that is why I am curious. I personally DO believe in Christ as the Son of God, but my sister is more of an agnostic and so is my dad, and my mom is somewhere in the middle of spiritual and agnostic. But what they all share in common is they all follow Christ's teachings. That is why I am very curious and eager to know others' thoughts on this.

Thank you in advance,

Matthew

He doesn't say that.

I think that is an oxymoron.

That is because Jesus says if you see Him you see the Father. (John 14:9) You come to Him you come to the Father. He says I and my Father are one. (John 10:30)

[Jethro]

To believe in Jesus as the way, the truth and the life, means to firstly believe that He is the only way to God, by faith in Him, because He is the Son of God. Secondly, to believe that He is the truth and nothing but the truth. Thus, believing that everything he said is the truth, and so following His teachings. And thirdly, to believe that He is the life, and so able to give eternal life to those who believe in Him. Furthermore, believing in Jesus means to believe that He died to save sinners.

Therefore, believing in Jesus is more about believing who He is and what He has done, rather than just simply following His teachings, which all true believers do naturally anyway.

[Thief]

Originally Posted by HeretoPhilosophize

...No one comes to the Father except through me."

I notice that Jesus never directly states that one must believe in the 100% literal interpretation that He is the Son of God. Is Jesus merely saying that believing in His teachings--in particular His teachings about morality, forgiveness, and loving thy neighbor--are what is required to get into Heaven?

I do not mean to start up any kind of angry debate here. I'm new to the forum and am just genuinely interested to hear other ideas on this. I realize my theory flies in the face of Fundamentalism, but I tend to lean towards Christian Humanism, so that is why I am curious. I personally DO believe in Christ as the Son of God, but my sister is more of an agnostic and so is my dad, and my mom is somewhere in the middle of spiritual and agnostic. But what they all share in common is they all follow Christ's teachings. That is why I am very curious and eager to know others' thoughts on this.

Thank you in advance,

Matthew

Yes precisely....the parables are the focus.
Without them, He will not see His reflection in you.

And heaven might then, object to your presence.
Without wisdom and in the presence of the Sons of God?...(see Job)

[Ronald]

He says he is the Living Torah.
Torah is the Way.
Torah is the Truth.
Torah is the Life.
No one comes to the Father without Torah.
In the beginning Y H V H , spoke the Torah, via the Word the world was created.