Godhead

[BrotherDavid]

Man was created in God's moral likeness, not a physical likeness. The Bible never says that God has hands or feet or hair just like man's. The Bible never says that God looks like we do.

There are verses that describe the spiritual body of Father Jehovah, He hears, smells, has a face, has arms, hands and sits and there may be more revealed in God's Word...

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

(Genesis 1:27)

And Moses said, This shall be, when the LORD shall give you in the evening flesh to eat, and in the morning bread to the full; for that the LORD heareth your murmurings which ye murmur against him: and what are we? Your murmurings are not against us, but against the LORD.

(Exodus 16:8)

And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.

(Ephesians 5:2)

And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.

(Genesis 1:31)

And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.

(Revelation 20:11)

And I looked, and there was none to help; and I wondered that there was none to uphold: therefore mine own arm brought salvation unto me;

and my fury, it upheld me.

(Isaiah 63:5)

My righteousness is near; my salvation is gone forth, and mine arms shall judge the people; the isles shall wait upon me, and on mine arm shall they trust.

(Isaiah 51:5)

Mine hand also hath laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand hath spanned the heavens: when I call unto them, they stand up together.

(Isaiah 48:13)

And there are many other verses in regards to Father Jehovah's arms and hands. The following verses are just a few more,

Behold, the Lord GOD will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him.

(Isaiah 40:10)

He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.

(Isaiah 40:11)

But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him: and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.

(I Corinthians 8:6)

This God

[HAZARD]

The Bible, God's plan for man in Scripture is very simple to understand. No man has any excuse for misunderstanding it. Jesus constantly invited andprovoked study of the Scriptures, and even rebuked men for their LACKOF KNOWLEDGE OF REVEALED THRUTH. He attributed all error to a lack of knowledge of the Bible. He answered His critics by saying "Ye do err, not knowing the Scriptiures nor the power of God' (Matt.22:29). He commanded men to "Search the Scriptures; for in them ye THINK ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me" (John 5:39).

After more than three years of the most simple teaching by the greatest of all teachers, the disciples had to be rebuked for their UNBELIEF and HARDNESS OF HEART. This was not because they could not understand, but because they did not believe what Christ said. He said to them, "Oh fools, and slow of heart to believe." Even after Christhad appeared and manifested Himself to them in various ways, they still refused to believe until He "upbraided them for their unbelief and hardness of heart" (Matt. 16"13-14). The words Christ spoke were always simple enough to understand, but to believe them was another thing.

Paul also taught that hearing the word of God was sufficient to cause one to believe. He said, "How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed?

Nearly ninety times in the New testament alone, anappeal is made to readers TO BELIEVE what "IS WRITTEN," as if everything was simple enough to understand if men wantedto understand and believe. In fact not once in either Testament did any speaker or writer leave the impression, that anything God said was hard to understand,if men would simply believe what God Himself had said. The only hint of any misunderstanding on the part of anyone is in connection with those who did not want to believe and obey the gospel.

Jesus taught that is was only because of the wilfulness of men not to believe that it was hard to understand. In other words, some do not want to understand. Those who do can understand without exception (Matt. 13:9-17). Peter speaks of the :unlearned and unstable" wresting the Scriptures to their own destruction (2 Peter 3:16-18). However, no person belongs to this class if he will amke up his mind TO BELIEVE and OBEY what is WRITTEN, instead of rebelling against it.

Pride, wilfulness, and rebellion against "WHAT IS WRITTEN" are the causes of the Bible being hard to understand. The hard part thenis not understanding with the mind, but in being willing to obey what one does not want to obey. if one could not understand the truth, he could not reject it.

Haz.

so, in a nut shell, what you are saying is that the 99% of Christians who have ever lived who disagree with your version of God, do so because we are rebelling against the word of God due to pride, but that YOU ALONE, have it right and are not rebelling?

And you are saying 99% of Christians who have ever lived have this misunderstanding because we do not want to believe and obey the gospel?

is that what you are saying?

Just want to get it straight so I am not accused of misquoting you.

Here is what is written in the Word, WHY DO YOU REJECT IT?

But who is able to build him an house, seeing the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain him? who am I then, that I should build him an house, save only to burn sacrifice before him?

Thus saith the LORD, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest?

"But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain You, how much less this house which I have built!

I'm not accusing anyone? Jesus and Peter are. Are you taking this statement above personally?

I posted earlier there are three heavens remember, go back and look it up, you might find your answer there.

Haz.

[EricH]

Maybe the discussion needs to center on how we determine what is figurative language?

[HAZARD]

I'm not accusing anyone? Jesus and Peter are. Are you taking this statement above personally?

YES YOU ARE. At least be honest about it. Be proud of your view and be honest, you think that everyone that does not agree with you is rebelling against the word of God due to pride,

Just admit that you think that YOU ALONE, have it right and are not rebelling while the rest of us are lost.

That is what you said in your post from yesterday at 05:32 PM.

are you now backtracking?

I posted earlier there are three heavens remember, go back and look it up, you might find your answer there.

Haz.

This is not about the three heavens, this is about God.

These verses say that not even the heaven of heavens or the highest heaven, both of which are the place you say that God lives while he is forgetting about his promises and his people.

So now then, YES or NO, is it true that the heavens cannot contain God? No more beating around the bush, YES or NO?

And then...

Thus saith the LORD, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest?

Is the earth LITERALLY God's footstool? does God rest His feet on the earth right? YES OR NO?

and finally...

Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.

Is Jesus LITERALLY sitting on God's right hand? YES OR NO?

Dont be silly, thats a leading querstion and you know it. Jesus is sitting at God's right hand, not on it. "Then were there two thieves crucified with him, one on the right hand, and another on the left." (Matt. 27:38). Just as the two thieves were literally crucified on Jesus's right and left hand? Now anyone with half a brain knows the thieves were not crucified on Jesus's hands but next to Him, His right side and His left side.

"Is the earth LITERALLY God's footstool? does God rest His feet on the earth right? YES OR NO?"

.

What do you think? Of course not. You dont even believe God has feet, so why would He need a footstool? If God is as big as you say He is the Earth would not be big enough to be His literal footstool Talk about dumb statements. These statements have nothing to do with the question, "Godhead?"

God doesnt forget His promises to people, just because He says "I remember?" Your spinning like a top. What does this have to do with the "Godhead?"

"This is not about the three heavens, this is about God. "

So why ask the question where does God live?

"So now then, YES or NO, is it true that the heavens cannot contain God? No more beating around the bush, YES or NO?"

.

Dont get upset school Marm, and start demanding things, Who do you think you are? No one said God can be contained anywhere. The Scriptures and Jesus say God lives in Heaven not God is contained in Heaven. I said many times, God goes from place to place, He moves about, Let us go down, I will go down, etc,.

When the disciples asked Jesus, "Teach us how to pray, what did Jesus say?

"Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name." (Matt. 6:9). Jesus was wrong was He, He didnt know where the Father was, or was He confused or lying? Was He playing a joke on mankind? Pray to the Father in Heaven because He's not there, He's everywhere.

"Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven." (Matt. 6:10). Jesus must have been suffering from lack of sleep, again He thinks the Father is in Heaven and we should pray thus. Or not?

According to your undertanding of where Godis, should Jesus have said; "Our Father which art EVERYWHERE because you cannot be contained, Hallowed be thy name."

Should Jesus have taught us to pray, Thy will be done in earth, as it is EVERYWHERE?

Why dont you give up while you are just way behind the eight ball?

And that question put earlier regarding God's sexuality. If you dont know God is male then no one can help you.

God said Let us make man in Our image and likeness. God then created a man. Form that man He took a rib and created a woman. That does not throw doubt upon whether God is male or female. Well not to me it doesnt. Who knows what you think. I'm sure you could find a way to create some doubt aboutit.

[EricH]

God said Let us make man in Our image and likeness. God then created a man. Form that man He took a rib and created a woman. That does not throw doubt upon whether God is male or female. Well not to me it doesnt. Who knows what you think. I'm sure you could find a way to create some doubt aboutit.

Genesis 5:1-2 does not allow for this interpretation:

These are the family records of the descendants of Adam. On the day that God created man, He made him in the likeness of God; He created them male and female. When they were created, He blessed them and called them man. (Genesis 5:1-2 HCSB)

The reason you are not understanding this correctly is you have failed to note the collective use of nouns. In Genesis 5:1 the noun man is used collectively and should be understood as man-kind. He created man-kind in His image male and female. In order to come to a correct understanding one needs to tak into account the grammar of the passage. The grammar and structure of this passsage smiply does not allow for your interpretation.

[HAZARD]

God said Let us make man in Our image and likeness. God then created a man. Form that man He took a rib and created a woman. That does not throw doubt upon whether God is male or female. Well not to me it doesnt. Who knows what you think. I'm sure you could find a way to create some doubt aboutit.

Genesis 5:1-2 does not allow for this interpretation:

These are the family records of the descendants of Adam. On the day that God created man, He made him in the likeness of God; He created them male and female. When they were created, He blessed them and called them man. (Genesis 5:1-2 HCSB)

The reason you are not understanding this correctly is you have failed to note the collective use of nouns. In Genesis 5:1 the noun man is used collectively and should be understood as man-kind. He created man-kind in His image male and female. In order to come to a correct understanding one needs to tak into account the grammar of the passage. The grammar and structure of this passsage smiply does not allow for your interpretation.

Hi EricH.

Man, mankind, does it matter? We are created in as God says in His own words, His "IMAGE and after OURLIKENESS."

"And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness . . . . . "(Gen. 1:26).

"So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them." (Gen. 1:27). He first created "ONE" MAN CALLED ADAM. Then God took a rib from ADAM and created "ONE" WOMAN who Adam called EVE.

You wrote,

"The reason you are not understanding this correctly is you have failed to note the collective use of nouns."

.

Notice the singularity in Gen. 1:26 and Gen. 1:27? God created One Man ADAM and then with a rib from the man God created ONE WOMAN.

You mustnt stop reading at Genesis 5:1, for it goes on to say in further verses "This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him;"

This Scripture Gen. 5:1 begins the detailing of the generations, or descendants of Adam and Eve. God never created any thoese descendants? They were the born children of Adam and Eve so trying to implicate them in God's original creation of Adam singular, and EVE singular is streching it. Read Genesis 5:1-32 and you will get the picture.

When you look in a full length mirror, what do you see? I hope you see what I see when I look in a full length mirror.

I see an image and it looks like me. I also see a likeness of myself. What do you see EricH?

Reflecting upon what God said to the Word and the Holy Spirit regarding His simple statement in Gen. 1:26, "And God said, Let us make man in our OUR IMAGE, after our likeness OUR LIKENESS:" I can definately say that I am a being made in the Image and likeness of God only I am a physical being and not a Spirit being, unless God was lying which I doubt very much because it is written in the Scriptures that God cannot lie. ?

"In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;" (Titus 1:2). Maybe someone can put up a Scripture which states that God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit can lie? If not, I will believe that men and women are created in the IMAGE AND LIKENESS of their creator, because He says so!

Haz.

[HAZARD]

Dont be silly, thats a leading querstion and you know it. Jesus is sitting at God's right hand, not on it. "Then were there two thieves crucified with him, one on the right hand, and another on the left." (Matt. 27:38). Just as the two thieves were literally crucified on Jesus's right and left hand? Now anyone with half a brain knows the thieves were not crucified on Jesus's hands but next to Him, His right side and His left side.

and on this we agree, so you have now admitted again there is some figurative language in the Bible, that is a good start.

What do you think? Of course not. You dont even believe God has feet, so why would He need a footstool? If God is as big as you say He is the Earth would not be big enough to be His literal footstool Talk about dumb statements. These statements have nothing to do with the question, "Godhead?"

I think no, but the again I am not the one that takes a hyper literal view of cherry picked verses like you do. Why do you not take this verse with the same hyper literal view you take the other ones you have been posting time and time again? why not be consistent?

God doesnt forget His promises to people, just because He says "I remember?" Your spinning like a top. What does this have to do with the "Godhead?"

but back in post #167 you said that God did forget these things. You said that there was nothing wrong with saying such a thing. You said there is much going on in God's mind with the running of the universes, that it is ok if he forgets things. I am not spinning anything, I am using your own words against you.

Dont get upset school Marm, and start demanding things, Who do you think you are? No one said God can be contained anywhere. The Scriptures and Jesus say God lives in Heaven not God is contained in Heaven. I said many times, God goes from place to place, He moves about, Let us go down, I will go down, etc,.

That is not what these verses say, they say he is too BIG to fit in heaven. talk about spinning.

When the disciples asked Jesus, "Teach us how to pray, what did Jesus say?

"Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name." (Matt. 6:9). Jesus was wrong was He, He didnt know where the Father was, or was He confused or lying? Was He playing a joke on mankind? Pray to the Father in Heaven because He's not there, He's everywhere.

"Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven." (Matt. 6:10). Jesus must have been suffering from lack of sleep, again He thinks the Father is in Heaven and we should pray thus. Or not?

Which of these verses say "in heaven only"? I must have missed that part.

According to your understanding of where God is, should Jesus have said; "Our Father which art EVERYWHERE because you cannot be contained, Hallowed be thy name."

Should Jesus have taught us to pray, Thy will be done in earth, as it is EVERYWHERE?

Why dont you give up while you are just way behind the eight ball?

Dude, it is not just my understanding, it is 99% of Christians' understanding, you are alone on an island with your view. I love the way you try to paint this like it is my view. The view I hold is the view that Christianity holds, not yours.

And that question put earlier regarding God's sexuality. If you dont know God is male then no one can help you.

God said Let us make man in Our image and likeness. God then created a man. Form that man He took a rib and created a woman. That does not throw doubt upon whether God is male or female. Well not to me it doesnt. Who knows what you think. I'm sure you could find a way to create some doubt about it.

There you go, cherry picking a single verse again...look at the very next verse...

27 So God created man in his own image,

in the image of God he created him;

male and female he created them.

I know its hard for people to do but before one can absorbe new knowledge one must remove old man taught knowledge from ones mind. Try and forget what the majority of people in the world THINK. Try and believe what is written, what Jesus said, what the apostles said, what God the Father said. It seems as though you have no idea of God, where He now is, or what He plans to do in the future with mankind. If there is no such place as Heaven, and if God is not there and is in fact as you believe is everywhere then explain these few prophetic Scriptures.

Scriptures plainly show that Jesus is going return and take His saints out of this world and into heaven before the coming tribulation. He will later return with them and the ARMIES OF HEAVEN to put down all rebellion and all sin.

The rapture is a distinct event in itself and takes place at least seven years before the second coming of christ.

The rapture takes place before the tribulation, and the second coming after the tribulation.

The rapture is the time when Christ comes FOR the saints (1 Thess. 4:13-17), and the second coming is when He comes back to the Earth WITH them (Zech. 14:1-5; Jude 14; Rev. 19:11-21).

At the rapture, Christ takes the saints to heaven (1 Thess. 3:13; 4:16; Col. 3:4), and at the second coming He Leaves Heaven with them (Rev. 19 11-21).

At the rapture Christ does not come to Earth (1 thess.4:16) but at the second coming He does (Zech.14:14; Matt. 24:29-31). Since

Christ does not come to earth at the rapture, so the rapture cannot be called the second coming of Christ. Because Christ does not set foot on the earth at the rapture, so the rapture cannot be called the second coming of Christ, for it is written, "Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord." (1 Thess 4:17).

Why meet them in the air if He is staying here. And where are the armies of heaven? They come with Him at the second advent.

"And the armies WHICH WERE IN HEAVEN followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean." (Rev. 19:14). "And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army." (Rev. 19:19). None of this takes place in 1 Thess. 4:17).

The Scriptures also Scripture proves that the Holy Spirit will not be withdrawn during the tribulation and after the rapture, as is shown in (Joel 2:28-32; Acts 2:17-21; Zech. 12:10; John 14:16; Rev. 7:9-17; etc.) Rev. 7:9-16 also proves that multitudes will be saved during the tribulation, and we can maintain that no man has been or ever will be saved except through the ministry of the Holy Spirit (John 3:5-8; 16:7-11; Rom. 8:9; Eph. 2:18; 1 Cor. 6:11; Titus. 3:5; etc.) Acts 2:16-21 proves an outporing of the Spirit during the tribulation.

The first coming of Christ was to save mankind who accept Him and the salvation he provided on the cross. The second coming is to rapture His saints to Heaven to protect them from the Tribulation. At this coming He does not come to the Earth as such but comes only as far as the clouds as the Scriptures state. The third time He comes He will bring the saints who were rapured and the armies of Heaven at the end of the tribulation to put down all rebellion and usher in the Milennium, or the thousand years of Christs rule. After the thousand year rule Satan and all people who went through the milennium and obeyed because they had no option but to obey will be again stirred up by the release of Satan. This will cause the final battle at which satan and his rebells will finally be defeated and they will be put away into the lake of fire forever.

Do you have any idea what is to happen next?

Haz.

[EricH]

Maybe the discussion needs to center on how we determine what is figurative language?

Y'all are going to go in circles until you dicuss this issue. How do we know what constitutes a figure in scripture? Until y'all resolve that, it is just going to be both of you piling on Biblical references and getting nowhere

How do you each determine what is figurative language?

[EricH]

Maybe the discussion needs to center on how we determine what is figurative language?

Y'all are going to go in circles until you dicuss this issue. How do we know what constitutes a figure in scripture? Until y'all resolve that, it is just going to be both of you piling on Biblical references and getting nowhere

How do you each determine what is figurative language?

There is no single way to determine what is figurative and what is literal.

Some are so simple there is no question. My question to Haz about Jesus sitting ON the right hand of God is a good one. Even as hyper literal as Haz is, he had to admit this was not to be taken literally.

One very important thing one has to determine is if the literal view of the language contradicts with the rest of the Bible. If the literal view of a passage is in opposition with the rest of the Bible, then you need to see if there is another way to take what is being said. Taken in a vacuum you will never be able to know when a writer is using a figure of speech.

One also has to look at the context of the passage as a whole that the phrase in question comes from. Most problems come from taking things out of context. By doing this it is very easy to get the wrong meaning of a phrase.

And lastly, one has to determine if not only does it "agree" with the rest of the Bible, but does it make sense when put to the test compared to other Biblical passages on the same topic or subject.

I think this is where Haz goes wrong.

His view that God is so busy running the universe that He forgets things does not mesh well with what else we are told of God. We are told that God named and knows the names of each star, that he knows the number of hairs on our head and that he knows when even a sparrow dies. We are told that God knows when we get up and when we lay down, that he knows our thoughts before we do, that he knows what we do even in secret. Taking all that into account, there is no way a God that forgets things makes sense.

So if therte are no rules. how can we determine who is right and who is wrong?

[Guest shiloh357]

There is no single way to determine what is figurative and what is literal.

That is not true. Part of literary analysis is determining how an author uses words as phrases as metaphors, similies, parables, allegory and other such things. Anthropromorphism is another common means of communication used in Scripture.