Why I don't believe that God could be incarnated in a man (Jesus, Earth)

[athanasius]

Originally Posted by Ori

It's pretty simple really, the body is subject to decay and eventually succumbs to old age.

So how could a God who is infinite, omnipotent, and beyond the laws of time become one of us?

I don't believe God could.

Do you believe that your God is all powerful and could do anything or is your concept of God limited?

[Booko]

Originally Posted by doppelgänger

But, of course, the above logic would apply to God incarnating in any human being and not just Jesus.

Yes, it does.

The difference is that I would say is that our "mirrors" are dusty with the dross of self, while those of the Prophets are well-cleaned with new, improved no-ego Windex.

[roli]

Originally Posted by Ori

It's pretty simple really, the body is subject to decay and eventually succumbs to old age.

So how could a God who is infinite, omnipotent, and beyond the laws of time become one of us?

I don't believe God could.

Yes and die and that's why he gave up glory and became like man
That's why so he could taste death and defeat it so the penalty and power of sin could be done away with.
He did because he can and it was the way which would help identify himself with us.
The bible says he was tempted like us,

[Hema]

Hi Ori! I think I told you this before - I love your avatar. It's so funny.

I have a different opinion from you though. There is no place in the world where God is not. In the "Sphota" thread started by doppelganger, I was stating that God is full/perfect/whole. Similarly, all of creation is whole. What comes out of the whole is whole. When the whole is taken out from the whole, it still remains whole. This is stated in the Vedas.

God is within us and we are within him/her. Even the Bible says that we are created in the image and likeness of God. So if we are manifestations of God, in the same manner, an avatar or incarnation/manifestation of God is possible. It does not mean that God becomes limited to that manifestation; God remains omnipresent.

[roli]

Originally Posted by Ori

It's pretty simple really, the body is subject to decay and eventually succumbs to old age.

So how could a God who is infinite, omnipotent, and beyond the laws of time become one of us?

I don't believe God could.

That was the problem then as it is today, originating from the Gnostics rooted from the word for knowledge and they believing that salvation was only from secret knowledge.
They also believ that matter was inherently evil and spirit was good
Therefore how could God come in the flesh in the person of Christ if matter was evil.
They question that God and the ministry and message of Christ as the God incarnate

There are many reasons for God coming in the person of Christ
Condemned sin in his flesh,satisfied the penalty for sin once and for all
Rom 8:3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
Hbr 10:10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once [for all].

He bore(carried) our sins as the scape goat did in the old testament
1Pe 2:24Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

He was tempted and identified with our sorrow and grief
Hbr 4:15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as [we are, yet] without sin.

He was made in our likeness so we could recognise and equate his obedience to what he required us to do.
Not so much that we should die at a cross ,but that we might die to the flesh and it's carnal nature
Phl 2:7But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

When he was tempted ,he was so so that he may help us in our temptation
Hbr 2:18For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.

He took our sin on himself as the sacrifice
2Cr 5:21For he hath made him [to be] sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
Hbr 10:4 For [it is] not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.

Abolished death and brought life
2Ti 1:10 But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:

Reconciled us to God
Eph 2:15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, [even] the law of commandments [contained] in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, [so] making peace;
Eph 2:13But now you belong to Christ Jesus. Though you once were far away from God, now you have been brought near to him because of the blood of Christ.

[Moses the God Archetype*]

The nature of krishna(God) is quite complex, but if you look at it from a spriritual standpoint it is said in the shrimad bhagavad gita that lord krishna the father incarnates whenever dharma is on the decline and adharma is on the rise......now sometimes indeed he sends his bonafide representive case in point jesus, or ramakrishna the 18th century saint of calcutta it is according to place and time, also this physical manifistation is his secondary potency or his creation therefore he can enter it at will according to his devotees desire or need.

[uumckk16]

Originally Posted by Booko

Ah, but if you change the analogy to be a reflection in the mirror...that is, suppose God is the sun, and Jesus the perfect mirror reflecting the light of God.

If you look in the mirror and see the reflection, both of these statements are true:

"Look! It's the sun!"
"That's not the sun...just an image of it."

But...they're not both true...

When you see the reflection...it's not literally the sun. It's a reflection of it.

I understand your point, but I'm not sure this example works?

[Rolling_Stone]

Originally Posted by Ori

It's pretty simple really, the body is subject to decay and eventually succumbs to old age.

So how could a God who is infinite, omnipotent, and beyond the laws of time become one of us?

I don't believe God could.

How can such a God not?

[UnTheist]

Originally Posted by Rolling_Stone

How can such a God not?

True

[TommyN]

God is Spirit therefore He has no body. Jesus said I speak and do nothing of my own initiative but what I hear the Father say I say and what I see the Father do I do also. In this way Jesus was God he was one with God just as we also can be one with our Father. Jesus explains this in the gospel of John 10:31-38 Then the Judeans took up stones again to stone Him. Jesus answered them, "Many good works I have shown you from My Father for which of those works do you stone me?" the Judeans answered him, saying "for good work we do not stone you, but for blasphemy, and because you being a man, make yourself God." (now Jesus explains what he is saying) Jesus answered them, " Is it not written in the law (This refers to psalms 82:6) I said, " You are gods (Elohim is the hebrew word for God and it is plural)"? If He called them gods (Elohim), to whom the word of God (Elohim) came (and scripture cannot be broken), do you say to him whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world,' You blaspheming,' because I said, ' I am the Son of God (Ben Elohim)? If I do not the works of my Father, do not believe me; but if I do, though you do not believe in me, believe the works, that you may know and believe that the Father is in me, and I in Him" . Also read all of chapter 14 of the gospel of John. Jesus was sealed with the Truth just as we can also be sealed. Jesus was our example of how to relate to your's and my Father. Jesus said to Mary Magdalene after his resurrection "Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to my Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, 'I am ascending to my Father and your Father, and my God and your God.' " (John 20:17) Jesus's Father is our Father and Jesus's God is our God.

Be blessed
Shalom