So Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God.

[1to3]

Hello Your closest friendnt;

Just a continuation: a quote you mentioned in your last post:

2 minutes ago, 1to3 said:

""No one of the disciples ever use this phrase "Jesus is God"

Paul’s Testimony

Unlike John, the apostle Paul, (formerly Saul) was a bitter opponent and persecutor of Christians, until Jesus revealed himself to him in a vision. Years later, Paul reveals to the Colossians what he had learned of Jesus’ identity:

Paul reveals several important things in this passage:

1. Jesus is the exact image of God
2. Jesus is the “first-born” of creation
3. Jesus created everything
4. Jesus is the reason for creation
5. Jesus existed before everything
6. Jesus holds creation together

 

What does “exact image of God” mean? Bruce remarks: “To call Christ the image of God is to say that in Him the being and nature of God have been perfectly manifested–that in Him the invisible has become visible.”[9] Thus, God being visible in Christ coincides with Jesus’ own words to Philip, “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father” (John 14:9).

In verse 15, the Greek word for “first-born” (prototokos) means ‘”supreme’ rather than in the temporal sense of ‘born after.”[10] According to Bruce, Paul is referring to “Christ’s pre-existence and cosmic activity in creation, and “denotes not only Jesus’ priority but also his primacy.”[11] What makes this clear is verse 16 which tells us that everything in the universe was created both through Jesus Christ, and also for him.

In verse 17 we see the eternal Christ sustaining creation. According to Paul, every atom, each DNA strand, and all the billions of galaxies are held together by the power of Jesus Christ. Thus, Jesus is the one from whom everything originated, the one for whom it was created, and the one that holds it all together.

Hebrews’ Testimony

The New Testament book of Hebrews[12] also reveals Jesus as the Creator of everything. Its opening passage reflects Paul’s words to the Colossians:

“Long ago God spoke many times and in many ways to our ancestors through the prophets. But now in these final days, he has spoken to us through his Son. God promised everything to the Son as an inheritance, and through the Son he made the universe and everything in it. The Son reflects God’s own glory, and everything about him represents God exactly. He sustains the universe by the mighty power of his command” (Heb. 1:1-3a)

Just as John and Paul reveal, the author of Hebrews tells us that prior to Jesus becoming a man, God created the universe through him. And Hebrews also reveals Jesus Christ as the one who sustains it.

Verse 3 speaks of Jesus as the “perfect imprint and very image of God’s nature.”[13] The Greek word here means that “the Son is the effulgence, the out-raying of the glory of God’s glory.”[14] This statement, that Jesus is the “perfect imprint” of the infinite God, confirms that the apostles believed Jesus is fully God

The author of Hebrews then goes on to tell us that Jesus is not only superior to the prophets, but he also is far above the angels.

“This shows that God’s Son is far greater than the angels, just as the name God gave him is far greater than their names” (Heb. 1:4).

John Piper explains why Jesus is vastly superior to angels:

“No angel in heaven ever received such honor and affection as the Son has received from all eternity from his Father. As great and wonderful as angels are, they do not rival the Son…..The Son of God is not an angel— not even the highest archangel. Rather God says, ‘Let God’s angels worship him!” (Hebrews 1:6). The Son of God is worthy of all the worship that the hosts of heaven can give—not to mention ours.”[15]

The author of Hebrews then discloses the deity of Jesus:

“But as to the Son, He [the Father] says to Him, ‘Your throne, O God, is forever and ever….” (Heb. 1:8 Ampl.)

Later in Hebrews, we learn that Jesus Christ “is the same yesterday, today, and forever,” a clear statement of his eternal Deity (Heb. 13:8). A created being is not the same today as yesterday because there would have been a time when he didn’t exist. It would be difficult to construe these passages in Hebrews to mean anything other than the fact that Jesus is the God spoken of in the Old Testament, who along with His Father and the Holy Spirit, created the universe.

The apostles must have been appalled to learn that the one they had seen bleed and hang suspended on a Roman cross is the very One who created the tree it was made from as well as the men who nailed him to it.

 

Pre-eminent One

The early Christians were accused by the Romans of stealing glory from Caesar, and by the Jews of robbing glory from God (Yahweh). Christianity is criticized by some as being “too Jesus focused.” But is that what the apostles thought? Let’s hear again from Paul as he writes to the Colossians about Jesus.

“He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell” (Col. 1:19 ESV).

Paul writes that God is pleased to have Jesus as the preeminent person in the universe. But the Old Testament clearly teaches that God will never relinquish his preeminence to a created being (Deut. 6:4, 5; Ps. 83:18; Prov. 16:4; Is. 42:11). Isaiah speaks clearly of God’s (Yahweh’s) preeminence.

“Let all the world look to me for salvation! For I am God; there is no other. I have sworn by my own name, and I will never go back on my word: Every knee will bow to me, and every tongue will confess allegiance to my name.” (Isaiah 45:22, 23 NLT)

But how can both Jesus and Yahweh be preeminent? There may be a clue in Genesis, where the Hebrew word used for God the Creator is plural (Elohim). And, when Isaiah states that God alone created everything, the Hebrew word for God (Yahweh) is also plural. Dr. Norman Geisler concludes, “Biblically speaking, there is more than enough evidence to conclude that the fundamental nature of God is portrayed by the Scriptures as a plural oneness.”[16]

Paul attributes to Jesus the same words of honor Isaiah attributes to Yahweh:

“Though he was God, he did not demand and cling to his rights as God. He made himself nothing; he took the humble position of a slave and appeared in human form. And in human form he obediently humbled himself even further by dying a criminal’s death on a cross.

Because of this, God raised him up to the heights of heaven and gave him a name that is above every other name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:6-11 NLT)

This passage reveals that before Jesus became a man, he had the full rights of the Godhead. Paul also tells us, “that every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.”

Over seven hundred years before Christ, God tells us through Isaiah that He alone is God, Lord, and Savior:

“Before Me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after Me. I, even I, am the Lord, and besides Me there is no Savior” (Isaiah 43:10,11).

We are also told in the Old Testament that Yahweh alone created the universe. That “every knee shall bow to Him.” That He is “the Lord, the King of Israel.” “The Redeemer.” “The First and the Last.” Daniel calls Him “Ancient of Days.” Zechariah speaks of God as “the King, the Lord of Hosts who will judge the earth.”

But in the New Testament we hear John call Jesus “Savior,” “The Alpha and Omega,” “The First and the Last,” “The King of Kings” and Lord of Lords.” Paul tells us “every knee will bow to Jesus.” It is Jesus alone who the apostles tell us will judge our eternal destiny. Jesus is the preeminent Lord of the universe.

Packer argues that Christianity makes sense only if Jesus is fully God:

“If Jesus had been no more than a very remarkable, godly man, the difficulties in believing what the New Testament tells us about his life and work would be truly mountainous.

“But if Jesus was the same person as the eternal Word, the Father’s agent in creation, ‘through whom also he made the worlds’ (Heb. 1:2 RV), it is no wonder if fresh acts of creative power marked his coming into this world, and his life in it, and his exit from it. It is not strange that he, the Author of life, should rise from the dead….The Incarnation is in itself an unfathomable mystery, but it makes sense of everything else that the New Testament contains.”[17]

Conclusion

If Jesus is Yahweh, then the Christian message is that God Himself came to earth, allowed men to spit on Him, mock him, and nail Him to a cross as a supreme sacrifice for our sin. God’s perfect justice could only be satisfied by God Himself as the payment for our sin and unrighteousness. No angel or created proxy would suffice. Such an act of condescension demonstrates the immensity of the Father’s love as well as the high value He places upon each of us (See “Why Jesus?“) . And this is exactly what the apostles taught and so fervently preached.

In his parting words to the Ephesian elders, Paul encouraged them to “shepherd the church of God, which he purchased with His own blood (Acts 20:28 NASB). Paul is echoing Zechariah’s prophecy where God (Yahweh) says,

“In that day the Lord will defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem….and they will look on Me whom they have pierced and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son (Zech 12:8a, 10b).

Zechariah reveals that the one pierced on the cross was none other than God, Himself. Thus, we see that Jesus Christ brings Old and New Testaments together like separate instruments harmonize to create a beautiful symphony. For, unless Jesus is God, Christianity loses its central theme. But if Jesus is God, all other major Christian doctrines fit together like pieces of a puzzle.” Kreeft and Tacelli explain:[18]

• “If Christ is divine, then the incarnation, or ‘enfleshing’ of God, is the most important event in history. It is the hinge of history. It changes everything.”
• “If Christ is God, then when he died on the cross, heaven’s gate, closed by sin, opened up to us for the first time since Eden. No event in history could be more important to every person on earth than that.”
• “If Christ is God, then, since he is omnipotent and present right now, he can transform you and your life right now as nothing and no one else possibly can.”
• “If Christ is divine, he has a right to our entire lives, including our inner life and our thoughts.”

The apostles made Jesus Lord of their lives, wrote of him as the Creator, and worshipped him as preeminent. These first hand eyewitnesses were absolutely convinced that God had visited planet earth in the Person of Jesus Christ, who will return as King of kings and Lord of lords, as well as our eternal Judge. In his letter to Titus, Paul reveals Jesus’ identity, and God’s purpose for our lives:

“For the grace of God has been revealed bringing salvation to all people. And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with self-control, right conduct, and devotion to God, while we look forward to that wonderful event when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be revealed. [19] (Titus 2:11-13 NLT).

Source:https://y-jesus.com/more/ajg-apostles-jesus-god/5/

 

[1to3]

15 hours ago, Your closest friendnt said:

Hello brother ito3, thank you for your responses, Jesus answer did not say "I am good", and did not say "I am God", this is clear from reading the text.

You do not need to be a professor in english.

Unless being a professor includes the skill, step by step to read into things they are not there.   

I with english as a second languish I can do a strate reading, why can not you? 

If you want to raise the issue about Jesus being God, very well, but why using this scripture. 

It's incorrect english to say "Jesus is God", 

No one of the disciples ever use this phrase "Jesus is God", 

Not even Jesus use these words for himself. 

Blessings in Christ Jesus to you brother Your closest friendnt;

I hope you got to read and answer my two above posts  to see more clearly that YES the Word of God does say that Christ is God incarnate.

Edited July 30, 2018 by 1to3

[Your closest friendnt]

Hello brother ito3, If you read my post very carefully, you will see that I have not departed from the facts in the scriptures, I acknowledge them and not ignore some of them, and neither I substitute words . 

Jesus Christ never said to the disciples go in the whole word and tell the people that I am God, I am the incarnate God, this term was never used by Jesus and the disciples. 

I do not have the time to read the positions and the point of view of some scholar over another, if you do I am not goung to make you harder in defending your borrow point of view. 

Neither I want to be sarcastic with statements of the likes, as "asked your teachers, what do they think about this and that, when I know that they have pass away long time ago, or if not you have never realy met them in person in the last of their life to asked them about their position to doctrinal issues if it has change and have now see the same doctrinal issues in a different light. 

So the fact that you mention someone's scholar's name and what they hold about an issue , that does not nessessarily means that before their death, they still had the same understanding or at some time later they renewed their understanding and they did not hold the same one as in their younger years. 

So do what I do I post from my understanding as not to take in vain the name of someone's, belief, when that person at a later time may have form another point of view on the same matter. Or does not hold anymore the same belief as when he publish the book. 

So this is the sentral issue. 

How are we going to proclaim the Gospel to a Jew, because we are called to go to the Jews, or how we are going to bring the Gospel to the Moslems, as we are called to go to them also. 

......and so on... Including the atheists, or those who did not have the priviledge to be born in Christian families, who were borned in Atheistic families, or polytheism families. 

Do we need to make this a Salvation issue? 

Because the OP makes it a Salvation issue. 

The possition I take from studying the Gospel thoroughly is that we should never treat or think of believers in Jesus Christ as are not being Saved, who confessed that Jesus Christ has died for the forgiveness of their sins, and they are going to Heaven, to be with Jesus Christ. 

They believe that Jesus Christ is in Heaven. 

Most of the believers are not nuts about they way we are about the "bible", they are bussy with sick family members, children, work education, trying hard to pay the bills, they are as they are.

The time will come that about Easrer you see them celebrating the resurection of Jesus Christ, and that means  they celebrated his death on the Cross earlier. 

They also selebrate the virgin birth of Jesus, just as it is written in the book of Luke. 

As Paul said not to become like the Pharisees and put additional yolks on them, those who will be willing they will seek further the Lordship of Jesus Christ in their lives, just like us. 

The disciples never forbit anyone to believe in Jesus Christ, because they are not worthy,  that would be against the call of Jesus Christ who wants everyone to believe in him, because he died for all, and he is the only Savior for the whole world. And those who have believe he calls to follow him, as disciples, but not all will be disciples, and he knows that, but if anyone wants to be his disciples dies not mean that Jesus has called him to be his disciple in the way he percieve it. 

Jesus has call some to work hard to provide for their families, others he loves them because they do not forbit their children to come close to him, others cool believers who they baptized their children in the name of the F, the S and the HS, to remind them never to embrace any unchristian belief. 

And their endless exambles why Jesus may love those who believe in him, some helping the poor, and some of those benefited turn to the faith of their benefactor, not all, but some, and those who may not, will always say that some Christian Lady help them, thus as unbelievers they spread the good acts of those who believe in Jesus Christ. 

Becoming abasandors , speading a good word of Christian goodness.

It is not even correct to judge the unrepented believers as unrepented, because every one whether believer or unbeliever has a partial repentance on going in their life without an exeption, everyone has his moments. They repent towards to one another, and make up. 

All the children of the world, with the guidance of their parents learn to repent multiple times a day. And change attitude. 

If we are of those who seek full repentance, good for us, we reap the benefits of that, 

But not to judge those who are on another level. 

We cannot take over the Judgement of Jesus Christ who gives mercy to his partial repented children, and who some times allowes the life's sircumstances to teach them a lesson, and if that happens we should not be  happy, but pray about them, to continiun to believe, let's in their distress turn against God. 

They have the miraculous birth of Jesus Christ, and the Confession of Jesus that he is the Son of God, and the way to Heaven.  

This is enouph a lot more than it is the basic requirment. 

As in just believing that  Jesus is the way to Heaven, for mendally chalenge people or children. 

 

[1to3]

21 hours ago, 1to3 said:

Your closest friendnt

Thank you for your reply.

[1to3]

12 hours ago, Your closest friendnt said:

It is not even correct to judge the unrepented believers as unrepented, because every one whether believer or unbeliever has a partial repentance on going in their life without an exeption, everyone has his moments. They repent towards to one another, and make up. 

All the children of the world, with the guidance of their parents learn to repent multiple times a day. And change attitude. 

If we are of those who seek full repentance, good for us, we reap the benefits of that, 

But not to judge those who are on another level.  

Not to sure where you got the "judgement of others from what I wrote and researched to prove Christ Jesus is God". However I am not interested into going into arguments.

But just to be clear, to know exactly where you presently stand in your own faith with Christ Jesus and His WORD.

A simple -yes-  or -no-, will do .

Do you believe this site's Worthy Statement of Faith ?   YES or NO ?

Statement of Faith

We believe in God, the almighty creator of heaven and earth.

We believe in the triunity of God. We believe that God is eternally One, and also eternally the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit — the three being distinct, but not separate. Each Person of the Godhead coexists from everlasting to everlasting.

We believe in the Messiah, Jesus, God’s only begotten son, God come in the flesh. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate. He was crucified, died and buried. On the third day, He rose again. Soon afterward He ascended into heaven. Now He is seated at the right hand of the Father and He will return to judge both the living and the dead and reign for evermore.

We believe all mankind are sinful and are therefore subject to God’s wrath and condemnation.

We believe that everyone is in need of God’s salvation. Mankind is absolutely unable to fulfill the heavy demands of God’s righteousness, holiness and glory. Therefore, God, in sending His Only Begotten Son, has accomplished redemption for us through the shedding of Jesus’ blood. Because of His Son’s death, God has forgiven us of our sins, reconciled us to Himself, and justified us by making Him our righteousness.

We believe that salvation is a gift received by faith alone, in Messiah alone, and is expressed in the individual’s recognition and repentance of sin, and the acceptance of the risen Messiah as Saviour, Lord and God.

We believe in the supreme Lordship of Jesus Christ, before whom every knee in heaven and on earth will bow. And that there is no other name under Heaven by which we can approach the holy throne of God. Jesus Christ is the one and only mediator between God and man.

We believe that immediately upon death, the soul of the believer is absent from the body, and present with the Lord.

We believe in the ongoing work of sanctification by the Holy Spirit after redemption for the purpose of producing life changing fruit — love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and self-control.

We believe that the 66 books of the Canon, from Genesis to Revelation are the exhaustive, inerrant and inspired word of God.

 

 

Edited July 31, 2018 by 1to3

[Your closest friendnt]

Hello brother ito3, I am glad to see that you are a good man, and you are careful with your life, and you love Jesus, and no one day pass without thinking about him. This is commendable and may God bless you. 

I see your question and I would like to bring a scripture to your attention for a blessing. 

"Be anxious for nothing, and bring everything before the Lord Jesus Christ, with prayer and thanks giving". And let the peace of God ruled in our heart and our minds. 

Because the Lord can make the heads tails and the tails heads. 

Jonh the baptish is the least in the Kingdom of God, (no he is not),

What was that all about that Jesus had to make this statement before the disciples? 

You know about Jonh the Baptish, about his inheritance from his Father in the Prieshood and about his miraculous birth, that is parallel to Isaac, the son of Abraham,  

About his mission, and his sacrificial death. 

Then why did Jesus Christ made this diminishing statement about him, what was the message? 

 

 

[1to3]

20 hours ago, Your closest friendnt said:

Hello brother , Your closest friendnt 

You choose to not answer my simple yes or no question to you, concerning if you believe in this site's Worthys' statement of faith.

Yet you continue to evade the question and instead try to provoke me into answering your questions....

The only thing I will answer is that I never claimed to be good as you are trying to pin me into a category. I am a sinner filled by His Grace Alone.

I am not Christ=Gods Grace, and so the question of being good does not apply to me in the same sense that it applied to Christ when He was called good teacher.

Because right now, you are trying to evade my simple yes or no question to you regarding if you believe in worthy's statement of faith or not. I will not further reply until you provide your christian point of view concerning your statement of faith. Does it align with Worthy's statement of faith or not?

If it does not we really have nothing further to share as your opinion is greatly different than mine as mine aligns with this site worthy statement of faith.

In Christ Jesus Always;

1to3

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 2, 2018 by 1to3

[Your closest friendnt]

Mine too, with one diference, it is written in Greek , and defines all the key words with references to the New Testiment, and Moses and Phalms and Esaias mostly. 

And defines all names and places. 

(I am very careful with some of the old testiment philosophers who want to put down the wisdom of Jesus Christ. ). 

[1to3]

47 minutes ago, Your closest friendnt said:

Mine too, with one diference, it is written in Greek , and defines all the key words with references to the New Testiment, and Moses and Phalms and Esaias mostly. 

And defines all names and places. 

(I am very careful with some of the old testiment philosophers who want to put down the wisdom of Jesus Christ. ). 

 

On 7/31/2018 at 1:19 PM, 1to3 said:

We believe that salvation is a gift received by faith alone, in Messiah alone, and is expressed in the individual’s recognition and repentance of sin, and the acceptance of the risen Messiah as Saviour, Lord and God.

Ok than thank you for responding that you believe in this sites worthy 's statement of Faith,

Than that means you believe Christ to be God incarnate. Am I correct in assuming this?

 

Edited August 2, 2018 by 1to3

[Your closest friendnt]

20 minutes ago, 1to3 said:

 

Ok than thank you for responding that you believe in this sites worthy 's statement of Faith,

Than that means you believe Christ to be God incarnate. And i correct in assuming this?

 

Hello brother ito3, 

You quickly put words in my mouth. 

I have mention before that I do not use words Jesus and the disciples did not use. 

So if this word "incarnate" was not use by them , then I would like to think that there is not offence to them if I do not incorporate it in my logos. 

On the other hand if this word it was available to them and they did not use it not even once, it must be a godly influence not to use it, 

This word is not very clear in it's meaning to the ones who hear it, but not to ones who read the story of the birth of Jesus Christ in the book of Luke. 

It is a word that departs from the events of Jesus Christ birth in Bethlehem. 

It's makes reference to someone who existed in another state of being without a body (like us), 

And then is found with a body like us, and he cannot now go back to his old state , he is stuck to our state of being with or without the body. 

There is a big problem in using this word. 

The audience is left in their own thoughts, of not only how did it happened , but they also see the "incarnate" one as not having any relationship to any other human. 

And the sugestion that remains is , that if that was possible for him, then it's possible for others who may be in the same previous state as the "incarnate one", and it's not clear if there was someone elses before him, .....

And it confuses the audience and make them believe that the incarnation happened in an adult state and all the knowledge and distinctive quilities are on the "incarnate one", that nothing was lost in the process. 

This is all contrary to the promish that Christ will come from the trive of Juda, specificaly the blood of David will run in his veins, whis is shown a conection and relative relationship with other people he could call family. 

Jesus must be the offspring of David , not the seed but the offspring, through the conception, and having the blood of David, through his mother. Sustained through the working of the placenta at that stage. 

As in the Revelations 22: the confessions of Jesus " I am the offspring of David and the bright morning star", 

Jesus makes it clear that he is the promish Christ and not to be confused , God is not going to sent another one.

That all the prophesies of the Messiah, the Christ have been fullfiled in him.  He is the "son of David", 

A new branch from the root of Jesse. 

Jesus said something that puzzle the Jews. 

That David knew who the Christ will be, and he New of his coming glory that he will be the Judge of the whole world. 

Hope that it is interesting and polite to let you know why I don't use this word "incarnate". 

As to not leave it entirely to your reactive thinking. 

Sorry another hard pill to swallow. - it means matters you may have not considered before.