I think earliest found is not necessary the same as earliest written. And I believe Gospel of John is really from the disciple of Jesus, as told in
John 21:24. But, that is obviously a matter of belief. However, if we would know surely who wrote them, would it really make any meaningful difference to you?
I have read John 21 more than once, but I never really noticed that verse, so thanks for pointing that out. I definitely believe everything that is recorded in the Gospel of John although I interpret some of it differently than Christians. My belief that it is accurate is further confirmed by what the Guardian of the Baha’i Faith wrote to an individual believer:
...we cannot be sure how much or how little of the four Gospels are accurate and include the words of Christ and His undiluted teachings, all we can be sure of, as Bahá'ís, is that what has been quoted by Bahá'u'lláh and the Master must be absolutely authentic. As many times passages in the Gospel of St. John are quoted we may assume that it is his Gospel and much of it accurate.
(23 January 1944 to an individual believer)
The Bible: Extracts on the Old and New Testaments
(From Letters Written on Behalf of the Guardian)
It might make a difference if I knew that the disciples wrote the gospels, if that could ever be proven but it would not make a big difference, since as noted below Baha’is believe that the essence, or essential elements, of what Jesus intended to convey has been recorded and preserved in the New Testament.
The Bahá'ís believe what is in the Bible to be true in substance. This does not mean that every word recorded in that Book is to be taken literally and treated as the authentic saying of a Prophet....
The Bahá'ís believe that God's Revelation is under His care and protection and that the essence, or essential elements, of what His Manifestations intended to convey has been recorded and preserved in Their Holy Books. However, as the sayings of the ancient Prophets were written down some time later, we cannot categorically state, as we do in the case of the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh, that the words and phrases attributed to Them are Their exact words
(9 August 1984 to an individual believer)
The Bible: Extracts on the Old and New Testaments
(From letters written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice)
Even if Jesus would be like a mirror, I think it could still be said that God lives in him, because God can be seen in him. However, I think God is more than a reflection, because He can have influence to the person.
Yes, I think it can be said that God lives in Jesus, but metaphorically, not literally, because obviously God cannot be contained in any human body. Moreover, God is more than a reflection because he directly influences the person.
I believe that it can be said that God lives in our hearts in a metaphorical sense, but not in a literal sense. I just recalled what Baha’u’llah wrote about God living in our heart:
“That the heart is the throne, in which the Revelation of God the All-Merciful is centered, is attested by the holy utterances which We have formerly revealed.
Among them is this saying: “Earth and heaven cannot contain Me; what can alone contain Me is the heart of him that believeth in Me, and is faithful to My Cause.” How often hath the human heart, which is the recipient of the light of God and the seat of the revelation of the All-Merciful, erred from Him Who is the Source of that light and the Well Spring of that revelation. It is the waywardness of the heart that removeth it far from God, and condemneth it to remoteness from Him. Those hearts, however, that are aware of His Presence, are close to Him, and are to be regarded as having drawn nigh unto His throne.”
Gleanings From the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 186
Bible tells God is spirit and love. I think He could be compared to team spirit that affects on team members certain way.
God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.
John 4:24
He who doesn't love doesn't know God, for God is love.
1 John 4:8
Yes, I can agree that God is spirit and love, even though I often have difficulty connecting to God and feeling that love.
They don’t remain in words of Jesus. They have replaced the teachings of Jesus by their own doctrines.
Jesus therefore said to those Jews who had believed him, "If you remain in my word, then you are truly my disciples. You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free."
John 8:31-32
Well, I fully agree with you on that, as I believe that Christian doctrines have replaced and even usurped the teachings of Jesus and in that sense Christians have strayed far from the truth that Jesus revealed which was recorded in the New Testament, as Baha’u’llah explained below:
“Certain traditions of bygone ages rest on no foundations whatever, while the notions entertained by past generations, and which they have recorded in their books, have, for the most part, been influenced by the desires of a corrupt inclination. Thou dost witness how most of the commentaries and interpretations of the words of God, now current amongst men, are devoid of truth.” Gleanings From the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, pp. 171-172
