If we are true monotheists, then all divinity is God. If Divinity also includes “from God,” then all creation would be divine. But, within the biblical understanding (ref. Tower of Babel pericope, among others), “divinity” differentiates God from God’s creation.
Please explain this “periscope” just so I do not misunderstand your reference.
Therefore, If Jesus is “from God,” or even “Godlike” (remember: we are the very image of God, and yet are not deemed “Godlike), then Jesus is fully differentiated from God, and is just one of us.
There is that small matter of being “sent” and with a divine appointment for a specific mission. Jesus was
sent, not by a separate part of himself, but by his God and Father. He was definitely “from God” and by his own admission he said he was “the son of God”. Can you provide one scripture that has Jesus actually claiming to be the God he prayed to....the God whose will he deferred to...the God whom he continued to worship even after his return to heaven?
Actually, the scriptures don’t say that. See above.
“Above” is not valid. It is your belief, but not supported by scripture.
That statement in Matthew isn’t addressing how one understands God.
His words are not ambiguous unless you make them so....
“Go in through the narrow gate, because broad is the gate and spacious is the road leading off into destruction, and many are going in through it; 14 whereas narrow is the gate and cramped the road leading off into life, and few are finding it.
15 “Be on the watch for the false prophets who come to you in sheep’s covering, but inside they are ravenous wolves. 16 By their fruits you will recognize them. Never do people gather grapes from thorns or figs from thistles, do they? 17 Likewise, every good tree produces fine fruit, but every rotten tree produces worthless fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear worthless fruit, nor can a rotten tree produce fine fruit. 19 Every tree not producing fine fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Really, then, by their fruits you will recognize those men.”
In a situation where false prophets are active, you can see that actions speak louder than words. A good tree has no rotten fruit...nothing in its history to be ashamed of...no bloodshed, no torture or murder of others who dared to disagree.
Christendom’s behavior from its inception has been in opposition to Christ’s teachings....bullying, power hungry, and in their conduct, distant from Christ and the apostles.
Christianity was to be a “cramped road” with a “narrow gate”.
The broad road has an off ramp with a narrow gate leading to Jesus.....some speeding by would not even see it...most are not even looking for it. The broad road is a superhighway with no speed limits and no real sacrifice needed to enjoy the ride.
The cramped road is a tough journey, with an entryway that is narrow. The road is difficult, not because Jesus or his Father made it so, but because our enemy has planted land mines all along the route. It takes courage and great faith to stick out the journey because of the destination...we may well get there bruised and battered.
The broad road is a dead end with a huge pile up at the end resulting in massive loss of life.....but we all have the choice about which road we decide to travel.
Jesus said to look at what people do, not just what they say. Talk is cheap.The cramped road is not an easy journey because it requires sacrifice...to pick up our own 'stauros' and follow in Jesus' footsteps...it may require our own death.
Yes. It’s in direct reference to the Exodus periscope about the manna — God’s act of salvation for the Israelites. This is all deeply theological language, and not necessarily empirical. Who Saves? God. Jesus doesn’t save, then, unless Jesus is God. I won’t go into the theology of how God’s acts through Jesus save us.
Another periscope? Where are you underwater?
"Deeply theological language"? Are you serious? How can Jesus being the symbolic "manna" be so deeply theological that his reference is completely lost on the Bible student? Like the Passover Lamb....the symbolism is apparent and completely obvious to a dedicated, unindoctrinated Bible student.
Most of us don’t believe it is at all “symbolic.” Most of us (Apostles included — and the historic stance of the Faith) acknowledge Christ’s real Presence on the altar.
Who is "us"? Who accepts Christ's real presence on the alter? I wasn't aware that the original Christians even had a physical alter. This is a Catholic belief, not a Christian teaching.
The Lord's supper, with the passing of the bread and wine was a replacement for the Passover.
Christ was the "Lamb of God", symbolized by the Passover Lamb, which was sacrificed and its blood placed on the doorposts to save the ones who did as Moses told them, and put faith in that blood to save them. What were they saved from? God's final denunciation to Pharaoh's gods. What are Christians saved from? God's anger at those who fail to do his expressly stated will. (Matthew 7:21-23)
God is unity. Jesus is an icon of Faith, because Jesus is seen as the Mediator and Advocate, who bridges that biblical separation between humanity and ... wait for it ... Divinity. In order for Jesus to that, Jesus must be both human and Divine, IOW, both fully human and fully God.
Tell me how it makes sense to have sin as a barrier between God and man, requiring a Mediator as a "go between", who is also God but this God doesn't require one?
The logical conclusion is that Jesus is NOT God and never was....otherwise we would need a Mediator between him and us as well. Do you not see the corners that false beliefs back you into?
There’s so much scripture that alludes to the Trinity.
'Allusion' is not the same as a statement. Again, please provide a scripture in which Jesus claimed to be God Almighty or even a statement from God claiming equality with the son or holy spirit. In the majority of cases where Jesus and his Father are mentioned, the third and equal part of the trinity is missing. Why?
Jesus words at John 17:3 says that knowing God and Christ are necessary for everlasting life....why no mention of the holy spirit? Is it a trinity or a duality that you are promoting?
Jesus is “Emmanuel,” or GOD with us. Not “Jesus with us.” Jesus had a miraculous birth, just as did the gods of the surrounding cultures.
I'm sorry....what?
The identity of Jesus Christ as "Immanuel" did not mean he was the incarnation of God, ‘God in the flesh,’ which proponents of the trinity claim is implied by the meaning of Immanuel....“With Us Is God.” It was a common practice among Jews to embody the word “God,” (El) even “Yahweh,” in Hebrew names. Even today Immanuel is the proper name of many men, none of whom are incarnations of God. Just about every "J" name in the English translations of the OT was an incorporation of the divine name. Any name with "El" incorporated "God" in their name.
We cannot know God’s nature. Heck! We can’t even fully comprehend our own nature! It’s folly and a waste of spiritual time to try and put God in a definitive box.
God provides a very good description of himself and his intentions in his word. The one thing we do know with certainty is that you cannot prove a trinity with scripture.....it is at best suggested in verses that are ambiguous or misinterpreted.
The doctrine of the Trinity is, by nature, somewhat vague, because our notions of God must be vague. As I told another poster, we spend too much time trying to define God, rather than trying to explore God and how we relate to God. The Trinity provides space for exploration and encounter to happen, without trying to pin God down too much.
According to my study of the Bible, the trinity is a blasphemy according to the Biblical definition of the word. It is a violation of the First Commandment. It is no space to explore anything about God. Christendom has built a 'bubble' much like what would be needed to support life on Mars. Just as no man could survive outside of that bubble without life support, so Christendom's teachings cannot survive outside of its own created doctrinal bubble. Their "life support" is the Bible but its full of holes which will ultimately lead to oxygen deprivation, brain damage, and death.
Do you not understand that, in the ancient world, “son of God” designated one as divine? And, in a monotheistic religion, if Jesus is divine, Jesus must be God.
If Jesus is divine then he is FROM God as he said..."sent" on a mission and successfully completed it. He did not have to be God in order to pay the ransom required to release captives to the result of Adam's sin. (Romans 5:12) He just had to be sinless.