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God is Light and Life and Jesus is Light and Life, is Jesus therefore God?

Super Universe

Defender of God
[FONT=&quot]The scriptures reveal that the Creator God is Light. He is the Source of Light and Life. (Gen. 2:7; Job 33:4; Psalm 118:27; Psalm 119:130; Isaiah 2:5; 60:20) Jesus is revealed as the true Light who came into the world. Jesus is revealed as the One who made all things ( John 1:3-4; Col.1:16-17) and the scriptures show that He is the Source of Light and Life. [/FONT]


In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world. John 1; 1-9


That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life— the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us— that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. And these things we write to you that your joy may be full. This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. 1 John 1:5


[FONT=&quot]According to the scriptures there is only one source of life and one true light and that source and true light is God alone,[/FONT] [FONT=&quot]therefore is it not clearly revealed that the Son, the Word of God ...Jesus is God?[/FONT]

Try to see the word light in this instance as a symbol of something that is whole but has infinite parts just as the light we see is made up of all the colors of the rainbow and even other frequencies we can't see. Remember that the men who wrote these ancient texts had no understanding of physics whatsoever.

God is First Source, the beginning of everything that exists. Christ is a part of God, He is God's Son. He existed in the beginning but was not separate from God then. Christ is the architect of our universe. Christ designed and planned it so it can be said that Christ "made all things" in this universe while God made all things possible in all of existence.
 

InChrist

Free4ever
i always find it interesting how a passage of scripture can mean completely different things to different interpretations.

InChrist, do you think its possible that if Jesus can be called 'the Logos/Word', that he could also be described as 'wisdom' in the sense that, as Gods first born, he is the first expression of Gods wisdom in creation?

It is interesting how a passage of scripture can be interpreted in different ways, but I believe when scripture interprets scripture there is only one interpretation.

The context of John chapter one and the rest of the book and NT plainly reveal that the Word is Jesus. On the other hand, I don't see the context of Proverbs chapters one through nine showing that the wisdom spoken of was a created being or a reference to the Person of Christ.
 

InChrist

Free4ever
Try to see the word light in this instance as a symbol of something that is whole but has infinite parts just as the light we see is made up of all the colors of the rainbow and even other frequencies we can't see. Remember that the men who wrote these ancient texts had no understanding of physics whatsoever.

God is First Source, the beginning of everything that exists. Christ is a part of God, He is God's Son. He existed in the beginning but was not separate from God then. Christ is the architect of our universe. Christ designed and planned it so it can be said that Christ "made all things" in this universe while God made all things possible in all of existence.


Thank you for sharing your thoughts.
 

InChrist

Free4ever
How does Jesus have all the same attributes of God? Where does it say so? He obviously doesn't have the same knowledge of God, and he is reliant on God to perform his miracles. This concept is only found in Church Father theology, not in the text. He may be the Image of God and the representative, but it doesn't mean he has the same attributes. Would God ask Himself to get out of going up on the cross? The "human will" concept doesn't cut it. We need some exact examples of why Jesus has the "Exact same attributes" that no other representative would have. If the lamb is the lamp of which the Light of God shines, that simply means the lamb is the instrument of God to serve as his light. Not that God is the light himself.

Now as for the "Creation" part, it's important to know that it says that it says all things were made THROUGH him, not "By him". This is basic Logos Theology. The Logos was the instrument of which Creation was made. It was THROUGH Jesus that all things were made. A major difference. And if this involves yet another major debate on what exactly the specifics are in this "Logos Theology" of what "Things were made through" means, so be it, I've discussed it numerous times.

With that said, nowhere does the text say that God is the light either. The light is something he created. You also didn't answer my question of what that verse even means in the first place.

So going by the text, your premise doesn't hold up. You can philosophize that "God is the light" all you want, but that's not what the text says.


You have asked several questions and I will try to answer and address your other points, but not tonight, it's getting late.
 

InChrist

Free4ever
How does Jesus have all the same attributes of God? Where does it say so? He obviously doesn't have the same knowledge of God, and he is reliant on God to perform his miracles. This concept is only found in Church Father theology, not in the text. He may be the Image of God and the representative, but it doesn't mean he has the same attributes. Would God ask Himself to get out of going up on the cross? The "human will" concept doesn't cut it. We need some exact examples of why Jesus has the "Exact same attributes" that no other representative would have. If the lamb is the lamp of which the Light of God shines, that simply means the lamb is the instrument of God to serve as his light. Not that God is the light himself.


I wasn’t saved in a church and I don’t read or determine truth based on the writing or theology of Church Fathers. The scriptures alone are sufficient to abundantly show that Jesus has the same attributes of God and that He is God who came in the flesh to save humanity.


God is omniscient, knowing the thoughts of men- Isaiah 46:9-10; Psalm 44:21; 91:11; 139:4; 1 Kings 8:39; 1 John 3:20; Matthew 10;29-30; Acts 15:8
Jesus is omniscient, although He humbled Himself to the human state, at times revealed His omniscience- Matthew 9:4; 12:25; Luke 6:8; John 4:19; John 1:47-48; Acts 1:24
God is omnipotent, all powerful- Gen. 1; Job 38; Psalm 33:6-9; Isaiah 44:24; Daniel 2:21
Jesus is omnipotent- Mark 4:39-41; 5: 21-42; 6:38-44; 6:45-62; Luke 7:22; John 5:21; 11:1-43; Hebrews 1:3; Colossians 1:17
God is omnipresent- Psalm 139:7-8
Jesus is omnipresent- 28:19-20
God forgives sins- Psalm 25:17-18; 99:8; 103:2-4; Daniel 9:8-10; Mark 2:6-7
Jesus forgives sins- Matthew 9:2; Mark 2:5; Luke 5:20; 7:48
God is glorified- Isaiah 42:8
Jesus is glorified- John 17:5
God is eternal from everlasting- Psalm 93:1-2
Jesus is eternal from everlasting- Micah 5:2
Only God is worshipped- Exodus 34:13-15
Jesus is worshipped- Matthew 2:11; 14:33; 15:25; 28:9; Mark 5:6; Luke 24:52; John 9:37-38; 20:28
God does not change- Malachi 3:6
Jesus (His eternal divine God nature) does not change- Hebrews 13:8
God is Almighty- Gen. 17:1; Job 33:4
Jesus is Almighty- Rev. 1:8; 19:11-16


With that said, nowhere does the text say that God is the light either. The light is something he created.
God is Light, His very countenance is Light. He is a consuming fire...

For our God is a consuming fire. Hebrews 12:29.

Blessed are the people who know the joyful sound! They walk, O Lord, in the light of Your countenance. Proverbs 89:15

This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. 1John 1:5

And Jesus is Light, His very countenance is Light like the sun

He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength. Rev, 1:16


You also didn't answer my question of what that verse even means in the first place.
Exactly which verse is your question about and what is the question again?



So going by the text, your premise doesn't hold up. You can philosophize that "God is the light" all you want, but that's not what the text says.
I'm not trying to philosophize, the scriptures clearly show the God is light and life and that Jesus is light and life...

For with You is the fountain of life; In Your light we see light. Proverbs 36:9

In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. John 1:4


Therefore Jesus is God.
 

Shermana

Heretic
]I wasn’t saved in a church and I don’t read or determine truth based on the writing or theology of Church Fathers. The scriptures alone are sufficient to abundantly show that Jesus has the same attributes of God and that He is God who came in the flesh to save humanity.
You mean your interpretation of the scriptures.


God is omniscient, knowing the thoughts of men- Isaiah 46:9-10; Psalm 44:21; 91:11; 139:4; 1 Kings 8:39; 1 John 3:20; Matthew 10;29-30; Acts 15:8
Ok.


Jesus is omniscient, although He humbled Himself to the human state, at times revealed His omniscience- Matthew 9:4; 12:25; Luke 6:8; John 4:19; John 1:47-48; Acts 1:24
By all means show how those verses imply Omniscience, as opposed to Jesus being given knowledge by God himself. Apparently Jesus doesn't know everything and is told things by God.

In Revelation 1:1 it says that Jesus received a revelation from God. Do you understand the implication of Jesus having to receive a revelation?



Jesus is omnipotent- Mark 4:39-41; 5: 21-42; 6:38-44; 6:45-62; Luke 7:22; John 5:21; 11:1-43; Hebrews 1:3; Colossians 1:17
Why don't you go over each of those verses and prove why Jesus is the omnipotent one and not just doing what God has given him power to do.


Jesus is omnipresent- 28:19-20
Feel free to show which book you're referring to and how that verse proves Jesus is Omnipresent.

Jesus forgives sins- Matthew 9:2; Mark 2:5; Luke 5:20; 7:48
Jesus was GIVEN the power to forgive sins, and apparently this power was also GIVEN to the disciples.


Jesus is glorified- John 17:5
So being glorified only applies to God? What do you think "glorify" means? Perhaps you're forgetting Romans 8:29-30

Romans 8:29-30: "For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified[/QUOTE]

There goes your exclusivity of being glorified out the window. Bye bye.
Jesus is eternal from everlasting- Micah 5:2
Ummm, how does Micah 5:2 relate to Jesus and not God?

Only God is worshipped- Exodus 34:13-15
Jesus is worshipped- Matthew 2:11; 14:33; 15:25; 28:9; Mark 5:6; Luke 24:52; John 9:37-38; 20:28
Apparently King David was worshiped, and Jesus says the Disciples will be "worshiped". Angels were worshiped too. I've been over this issue countless times. Jesus was not revered on the same level as God.


Jesus (His eternal divine God nature) does not change- Hebrews 13:8
And none of the Angels remains the same? Just because Jesus does not change in heaven, it doesn't mean only He and God never change. You're REALLY grasping at straws.

Jesus is Almighty- Rev. 1:8; 19:11-16
Rev 1:8 is the Father talking, not Jesus. 19:11-16 does not in any way support your statement.

God is Light, His very countenance is Light. He is a consuming fire...

For our God is a consuming fire. Hebrews 12:29.
You're not only confusing metaphorical language to assume that God is a literal fire, but then you're reading into it that because he's a Fire he must also be the light that exudes from the fire.

This is an excellent excercise not only in how people vastly distort the text and twist it, but also read into things that simply aren't there.

Blessed are the people who know the joyful sound! They walk, O Lord, in the light of Your countenance. Proverbs 89:15
That's supposed to mean that God is light himself because he has Light shining from his face? Seriously!

This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. 1John 1:5
This is perhaps the ONLY decent example you've presented whatsoever, but even the orthodox Theologians admit this is purely metaphorical language. What "Darkness" would it be referring to?

1 John 1:5 Bible Commentary



And Jesus is Light, His very countenance is Light like the sun

He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength. Rev, 1:16
No, it merely means his face was shining. It doesn't say his face was light itself.


Exactly which verse is your question about and what is the question again?
John 1:3. What it means to enlighten every soul entering the world.



I'm not trying to philosophize, the scriptures clearly show the God is light and life and that Jesus is light and life...
What they clearly show is that you're reading into things that aren't there and confusing language that's clearly metaphorical, going so far as to confuse things like light shining from Jesus's face to Jesus's face being light itself.

For with You is the fountain of life; In Your light we see light. Proverbs 36:9

In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. John 1:4
If anything this is a great verse for proving that Jesus as the Logos is the tool that God uses to bring light and life into the world, but by no means indicates they are the same being.
Therefore Jesus is God
Therefore you have some very twisted readings of the scripture.
 

InChrist

Free4ever
By all means show how those verses imply Omniscience, as opposed to Jesus being given knowledge by God himself. Apparently Jesus doesn't know everything and is told things by God.

In Revelation 1:1 it says that Jesus received a revelation from God. Do you understand the implication of Jesus having to receive a revelation?

The implication is that the Father shares everything with the Son, they are One.



Why don't you go over each of those verses and prove why Jesus is the omnipotent one and not just doing what God has given him power to do.
I don’t have to Jesus proves He is omnipotent Himself, have you asked Him?


Feel free to show which book you're referring to and how that verse proves Jesus is Omnipresent.
Matthew 28:19-20


Jesus was GIVEN the power to forgive sins, and apparently this power was also GIVEN to the disciples.
No, the scriptures show that Jesus gave the disciples the power to forgive, but He had the power in Himself.


So being glorified only applies to God? What do you think "glorify" means? Perhaps you're forgetting Romans 8:29-30

Romans 8:29-30: "For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified[

There goes your exclusivity of being glorified out the window. Bye bye.
Although those who are justified will be glorified, Jesus already had glory and came from glory.


And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was. John 17:5

Ummm, how does Micah 5:2 relate to Jesus and not God?
The One who came out of Bethlehem and rule Israel is the Son (Jesus, Messiah) who is from everlasting...eternal.

But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
Though you are little among the thousands of Judah,
Yet out of you shall come forth to MeThe One to be Ruler in Israel,
Whose goings forth are from of old,
From everlasting.”



Apparently King David was worshiped, and Jesus says the Disciples will be "worshiped". Angels were worshiped too. I've been over this issue countless times. Jesus was not revered on the same level as God.
I don’t know where it says angels or the disciples should be worshiped, but I know the scriptures show that no one but God is to be worshiped.

And I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, “See that you do not do that! I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren who have the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” Rev. 19:10

The Son is to be honored on the same level as the Father and the level of honor for the Father is worship...

For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son,that all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him. John 5:22-23

And none of the Angels remains the same? Just because Jesus does not change in heaven, it doesn't mean only He and God never change. You're REALLY grasping at straws.
It means that God, Father and Son are changeless from eternity.


Rev 1:8 is the Father talking, not Jesus. 19:11-16 does not in any way support your statement.
If you read the who;e passage in chapter one it is clear that 1:8 is about Jesus, the Son of Man and He is Almighty.

Who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood? Who was pierced? Who is coming on the clouds? Whose loud voice did John hear say, ‘I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last”? Who did John see when he turned to see the voice that spoke to him? Who told him not to be afraid and said, ‘I am the First and the Last, I am He who lives, who was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore.”?

Verse 8 is about the Son of Man, who said He is the Alpha and the Omega and the First and the Last, who was dead, but is alive forevermore and who is coming.

“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, ”says the Lord, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”




You're not only confusing metaphorical language to assume that God is a literal fire, but then you're reading into it that because he's a Fire he must also be the light that exudes from the fire.

This is an excellent excercise not only in how people vastly distort the text and twist it, but also read into things that simply aren't there.

That's supposed to mean that God is light himself because he has Light shining from his face? Seriously!
I’m not reading anything into the text other than what it says. The scriptures state that God is Spirit. What exactly that means I don’t know. Whether than means literal light or fire I can’t say for certain, but I believe the implication is there. Whatever it means the scriptures apply the same quality and description to Jesus as they do to God.


This is perhaps the ONLY decent example you've presented whatsoever, but even the orthodox Theologians admit this is purely metaphorical language. What "Darkness" would it be referring to?
Darkness is anything apart from God’s light and truth.




John 1:3. What it means to enlighten every soul entering the world.
[FONT=&quot]Do you mean verse 4? It means the awareness and truth of God’s existence is given to each person.

[/FONT]

What they clearly show is that you're reading into things that aren't there and confusing language that's clearly metaphorical, going so far as to confuse things like light shining from Jesus's face to Jesus's face being light itself.
All I’m saying is that the scriptures say and show that God is the source of true light and as God, Jesus is the true light.


If anything this is a great verse for proving that Jesus as the Logos is the tool that God uses to bring light and life into the world, but by no means indicates they are the same being.
The verse says in Him was life and the life was the light of men. The life and light was in Himself, there is no indication that Jesus was only a tool used by God. Jesus had the God qualities of life and light Himself to give to men.
 
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Shermana

Heretic
]The implication is that the Father shares everything with the Son, they are One.

Therefore, the implication is that Jesus isn't Omniscient.


I don’t have to Jesus proves He is omnipotent Himself, have you asked Him?

How is that in any way a response to my point?

Matthew 28:19-20

How does that verse in any way back your point?

No, the scriptures show that Jesus gave the disciples the power to forgive, but He had the power in Himself.

Matthew 9:8
When the crowd saw this, they were filled with awe; and they praised God, who had given such authority to men.

Now that's before Jesus gives the power to his disciples. Therefore, the man who was given this authority was Jesus.

Although those who are justified will be glorified, Jesus already had glory and came from glory.

Okay, and? I asked you what you think "Glory" and "glorified" means. The Angels could be glorified as well. This in no way proves they're the same being just because he was glorified before the Earth. So what does glory mean here?



The One who came out of Bethlehem and rule Israel is the Son (Jesus, Messiah) who is from everlasting...eternal.

And?


I don’t know where it says angels or the disciples should be worshiped, but I know the scriptures show that no one but God is to be worshiped.

Lot worshiped the Angels in Sodom, and Moses and Joshua worshiped the Angel sent to lead them. Joab "worships" King David in 2 Samuel 14:22

Proskuneo is given to a person who (1) represents someone else in a position of higher authority or (2) occupies a position of higher authority himself (e.g., a king). Sometimes, of course, we may find a person who may receive shachah/proskuneo for both of these reasons. 1 Chron. 29:20 tells us, "And all the assembly blessed Jehovah, the God of their fathers, and bowed down their heads and worshipped [shachah] Jehovah and the king [David]." - ASV - cf. Septuagint (proskuneo). The highest position of authority, of course, is that occupied by God (the Father, Jehovah, who alone is Most High - Ps. 83:18 - and who alone deserves worship [in the most high sense of that word].)

Examining the Trinity: Worship (as used in Scripture)



And I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, “See that you do not do that! I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren who have the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” Rev. 19:10

That's because they are the same rank, prophets. Otherwise, you're looking at some MAJOR contradictions in the Bible. Why would John even go to worship the Angel in the first place? Did he have a momentary lapse of a death-penalty worthy commandment?

The Son is to be honored on the same level as the Father and the level of honor for the Father is worship...

So when Jesus worships the Father, what's going on there?

For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son,that all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him. John 5:22-23

Honor in this sense is a bit different in use than worship but in terms of accepting authority, it means to accept Jesus's teachings on Earth like how Joseph was honored like Pharoah was, even though Pharoah was higher.
It means that God, Father and Son are changeless from eternity.

It means Jesus is the same as when he was first created before all other things were created, as "Wisdom" incarnate.

If you read the who;e passage in chapter one it is clear that 1:8 is about Jesus, the Son of Man and He is Almighty.

No, you're falling for the Speaker Confusion trick. 1:8 is the Father speaking specifically.

Examining the Trinity: AO - Speaker Confusion

Who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood? Who was pierced? Who is coming on the clouds?

It's HIM who was pierced, not "ME" who was pierced as many translations erroneously translate. Jesus himself says "Him/the one" who was pierced in John 9, so the fact the other translations still use "me" instead of "The one/him" is a bit of an embarassment or a direct expose on their willingness to distort the text for the sake of their Trinity doctrine.


Whose loud voice did John hear say, ‘I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last”? Who did John see when he turned to see the voice that spoke to him? Who told him not to be afraid and said, ‘I am the First and the Last, I am He who lives, who was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore.”?

I think you're referring to the KJV of Rev 1:11 which has a spurious "Alpha and Omega". Sigh, I should do a whole thread about Revelation. Are you a KJV-onlyist by chance? You'll see that there's a reason why most other versions regard the Alpha and Omega in 1:11 as spurious. You're aware that it doesn't exist in almost all other versions, right?

Verse 8 is about the Son of Man

Nope, verse 1:8 is the Father, and 1:11 is the Son. If you need a whole thread on this to explain, so be it. But please see the link. Even the orthodox Trinitarian commentators agree that 1:8 is the Father speaking, not Jesus.



“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, ”says the Lord, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”

And that verse is in 1:8 but referring to the Father, not the son.






I’m not reading anything into the text other than what it says. The scriptures state that God is Spirit.

Whoa, what does God being Spirit have to do with it. I'm sorry but you ARE reading into the text what's not there.

What exactly that means I don’t know. Whether than means literal light or fire I can’t say for certain, but I believe the implication is there. Whatever it means the scriptures apply the same quality and description to Jesus as they do to God.

Well the entire world of orthodox commentators disagrees with you there.




Darkness is anything apart from God’s light and truth.

So then, obviously the "Darkness" is metaphorical just like the "light".




Do you mean verse 4? It means the awareness and truth of God’s existence is given to each person.

Actually I meant verse 9. But verse 4 is interesting, how do you define "The light that is the life of men" as awareness of the existence of God? Quite a stretch, and the orthodox commentators disagree.

John 1:4 Bible Commentary
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]

All I’m saying is that the scriptures say and show that God is the source of true light and as God, Jesus is the true light.

So you're saying the Source of something and the thing itself are the same thing?

Umm, I don't think so.


The verse says in Him was life and the life was the light of men. The life and light was in Himself, there is no indication that Jesus was only a tool used by God. Jesus had the God qualities of life and light Himself to give to men.

Sure it indicates Jesus was a tool, since God is the source of the light, and Jesus is the light. What next, the Blacksmith and his horseshoe are the same thing?
 

Brickjectivity

wind and rain touch not this brain
Staff member
Premium Member
'InChrist', how does discussing this affect you personally? Its great mental exercise, but perhaps you have lost a loved one. Perhaps someone is attacking you. Perhaps you are being harmed or have an injury. Pain makes it difficult. People are like red-hot coals that burn. Pursuing study deeply into the Bible will challenge your beliefs bringing up old pain, whether or not it affirms them in the end -- because of people. The Bible is not the puzzle. The Son is. You cannot solve that puzzle since its pieces are red hot to your fingers, and you cannot solve it wearing mittens, either. Each son is a piece of that larger puzzle, pieces which you cannot touch. That puzzle cannot be solved by human hands. Each son is part of a representation of the whole, because God's truth is too bright and hot. You cannot be the entire puzzle, because that is idolatry. This is not a denial of truth but the acceptance of it. John 3:30 says "He must increase, but I decrease." (If I am being too unclear, please see the next 3 responses for clarification.)
In Christ said:
God is LIGHT because He is the Source of Light, I don't believe light is something He created,,,He is Light. Yes, He created the sun and the moon to give light to the earth, but prior to their creation He was the Light as He will be again in the new Jerusalem of the new heaven and earth...The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light. (Rev.21;23)
This is a terrific response, however John says the light he is talking about is created light. James says the Father is the "Father of Heavenly Lights who does not change like shifting shadows."(James 1:17) You see that light is not always talking about God the Father but can be about one of his creations, although the difference is that the Father never changes while the lights are sometimes blocked out or filtered. The Father's light shines through the children in parts and pieces, accumulating into a representation of the original whole. This is the 'Son' (no gender implied). The Son is ' Tabernacle'd ' among people, and John calls it "The True Light that gives light to every man."(John 1:9) Hebrews 1:1-3 talks about these things. The Son is the "radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being"(Hebrews 1:3). This is important, because God's light is inapproachable; but in the Son you can experience the radiance of God's being. This is life and life ever more abundant.

In Christ said:
All gods, whether angels, men, or idols are false gods in that they are not THE True GOD, I think on that we can probably agree. What I am saying is that the Son of God, Jesus, is not a small god. He has all the same attributes of God, He is the true Light as is God, therefore He is God...THE GOD.
The first thing to notice is that Israel is called the Son in the Bible, and Israel isn't God. Are you going to worship the Jews? I'm not, and they would feel badly if we did. No, no. The Son is the radiance of God's glory, not of his own glory. Now Jesus, being called the Son, is no different. I'm not saying that you cannot believe in Trinity. That is not what I am saying. I'm saying that light is taught in this special way for a reason, and it has many implications that you must consider if you want to continue seeing more of the Son. Humility of life is the most important one. Are you God? No, but you are in the Son, and so in part you represent God. That is why Christians bow to one another.

In this I consider your words to be of weight, and I listen to you. I do not dismiss your opinion. This is my way of bowing.

InChrist said:
It is interesting how a passage of scripture can be interpreted in different ways, but I believe when scripture interprets scripture there is only one interpretation.
"In bringing many sons to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the author of their salvation perfect through suffering." (Hebrews 2:1) You are a son, not The Son. You are A Light, not The Light. Your light is brightest where it is dark, but there will always be something brighter than you, and that is the whole.

Have you ever heard of Keith Green? He was, like you, against all compromise but he made a terrific song about how the sons are like a stained glass window. They are not perfectly clear, but they are arranged to represent together that which cannot be represented by each.

lyrics:
We are like windows
Stained with colors of the rainbow
Set in a darkened room
Till the bridegroom comes to shining through

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Shermana said:
Now as for the "Creation" part, it's important to know that it says that it says all things were made THROUGH him, not "By him". This is basic Logos Theology.
Most people, such as myself, were never taught this 'Basic logos theology'. For that reason it sounds alien to hear it called 'Basic', although I am forced to agree that it ought to be basic.
Shermana said:
With that said, nowhere does the text say that God is the light either. The light is something he created.
Yes, and also the light isn't something we can change or harm. If I make a mistake, the light is unchanged by me. The spirit does not depend upon where I build my tabernacle, so-to-speak. Instead I must move my tabernacle all over the wilderness until truth has led me to Jordan. John Bunyan alludes to this in his Pilgrim's Progress, though I am not in any way suggesting John Bunyan was an exemplar representing truth. He had some good points.

I hope that my figures of speech are clear. I did not included references, because I'm sure you know where everything is.
 
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