Religion?

[ted]

Let's start this one again folks, ok?

In Him,

t.

[agiopolem]

No honestly,

You people think that you yourself have read the BIBLE and can contain the Almighty God within a book...ohhh really... think twice... which originally came from the catholic church containments......Who in the world gives themself the right to read their own translation and think they have just contained GOD loving them and everything they do? Now be real and take a look at the fuller picture. First of all, you cannot contain the ALMIGHTY GOD in a book to begin with. Why is this such a prevelant asset in todays society? feedbacks...

First, there's a reason why most translations have VERY similar wording- they are based off of the ORIGINAL. Different versions are there for different reasons: easier reading, literal wording, wording that applies to today's world.

Second, we are not trying to contain God within a book. On the contrary, Christians try to seek God in everything they do, showing that He is so much a part of everything we do. The purpose of the Bible is to show how to live, following Christ. If we didn't have the Bible, we wouldn't know about Christ's life, and we wouldn't have the faith at all. It is instructional, a foundation for every belief that a Christian holds. One can debate using it, and one can discern right from wrong using it. God is, of course, the author of the book (indirectly), and therefore these are HIS WORDS we're reading.

[MorningGlory]

Well the Catholic church is the church that Christ set up when he was here, simple as that. I am not here to argue about that whatsoever.... I would love to hear your input.

Well, there is no argument, but Jesus never set up the "catholic" church. He set up His Church. The Church is not a building, it is not an organization. The Church is living, because it's makeup is that of all who belive on Christ.

Right....WE are the Church. All of the denominations represent man's attempts to interpret the word of God.

[Tari]

Okay, now I do appreciate researching this subject. Now for those who want to judge me for where I live, no I do not take take drugs. Anyway, if I were to die and make it into heaven, the Almighty God is not Jesus. Are they together as one? Yes but No, together means Jesus is the utmost next to the Almighty. Together as one is different than being the same being.

[Trusting Jesus]

Tari, are you in a Bible study now? If I understand your original post you have been away from fellowship and are now coming back to your walk with God, right? I hope that you are really studying the Bible and not pulling things out of context. Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, God Almighty, King of kings, and Lord of lords. There is only one God, but He shows Himself to us in three personalities - God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. These are 3 personalities and not 3 individuals. If you really study your Bible you will see that in the Old and New Testament this is true. Keep in mind that when Adam sinned God instituted the Law with all of its sacrifices. These sacrifices could not eliminate the sin. That is why Jesus - God Himself - loved us enough to step into His creation and take our sins upon Himself. He became our once and for all sacrifice. If He had been less than God His blood wouldn't have been any more cleansing than the blood of the animal sacrifices. But Jesus was and is God. It is only through His death, burial, and resurection that we can obtain forgivness of sin and eternal life.

There are so many reference to Jesus being God that it is impossible to list them, but let me just reference this one:

"And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us." Matthew 1:21-23

The angel is telling Joseph to not put Mary away because she is the fulfillment of the prophecy in Isaiah chapter 7. Note that the name Emmanuel means "God with us".

Please study. Here is a link to a good article http://www.gotquestions.org/is-Jesus-God.html also see http://www.gotquestions.org/deity-of-Christ.html

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Nathele

[Tari]

I think to love the ALMIGHTY GOD with all that you have, to look around at all of the love. Was that not the first Commandment! To love GOD and take a deep breath. Appreciate, respect, and love no matter how retarted we may seem. Honestly, just Love GOD and everything else falls into place. That was the first commandment. Now the second is to love others as you would love yourself. Did GOD appoint you to be the judge? I personally have been judged by many wrongfully, well soooo what?

[kari21]

Jesus is never recorded in the Bible as saying the exact words,

[Leonard]

Thankyou for your replies, and another topic to discuss about this is Monotheism. I think that people way back were trying so hard to put the Almighty God in the human form. Just as Jesus himself taught that only your FATHER in heaven is GOOD. AND... pray the OUR FATHER because He knows your needs. Now your own want and needs are probably a whole lot more than what you think you really need to survive. Jesus is Not the Almighty God coming here in human form. Never ever distort that, which they tried to do.

Greetings Tari:

I am a Roman Catholic Theologian, and NOTHING could be clearer in the Bible, and in Roman Catholic official doctrine than the fact that Jesus Christ IS GOD. As far back as the Council of Nicea (even before we can speak intelligently of a 'Roman Catholic' Church), the Church has declared una voce that Jesus is of 'one substance' (homoousis) with the Father. In fact the Scriptures tell us that we are to "Honor the Son with the same honor wherewith we honor the Father."

Wherever in the New Testament you read people calling Jesus "Lord" (first letter capitalized), the Greek text reads "Kurios."

That is extremely important to remember. You see, when Ptolemy of Egypt wanted the Hebrew Scriptures translated into Greek for his royal libraries, 52 learned Rabbis were commissioned for the task. Now in Hebrew, God's personal name is YHWH (there are no vowels in the Hebrew alphabet, but a good English spelling is probably: Yahweh). The Jews considered this Name (in scholarly circles usually referred to as the Tetragrammaton) too sacred to pronounce, and didn't want the Gentiles to be able to blaspheme it, so when reading their own Scriptures aloud, they would substitute the Hebrew word 'adonai' ('lord,' or 'ruler' in English), for it. Looking for a Greek equivalent, they chose the word 'kurios' we have been discussing.

Almost immediately after this Septuagint text was finished, the Greek speaking Jews began using 'Kurios' EXCLUSIVELY for referring to their God. In fact, in Jesus' time many Jews were put to death by Rome, because they refused to say that Caesar was 'kurios;' that's how STRONGLY they felt about that word: IT COULD ONLY BE USED REFERRING TO GOD HIMSELF!

Yet scores of times, we find people in the New Testament referring to Jesus Himself WITH THAT VERY WORD: "KURIOS." And Jesus never once stopped them or rebuked them. No mere angel is EVER called YHWH, and no mere angel could ever be called Kurios.

The essence of Christianity is to embrace the sheer love of the suffering, groaning, dying God-on-the-cross, Himself paying the penalty for our sins, and to LIVE in the power of His Glorious Resurrection, and His Mighty Ascension.

You must be clear about the FULL DEITY of Jesus Christ in order to be a Catholic. If you cannot believe this, you need to try to find some religion other than Christianity, for you CANNOT be a Christian, and deny that Jesus Christ is God.

If you wish to carry on this conversation privately, please PM me.

[Trusting Jesus]

I think to love the ALMIGHTY GOD with all that you have, to look around at all of the love. Was that not the first Commandment! To love GOD and take a deep breath. Appreciate, respect, and love no matter how retarted we may seem. Honestly, just Love GOD and everything else falls into place. That was the first commandment. Now the second is to love others as you would love yourself. Did GOD appoint you to be the judge? I personally have been judged by many wrongfully, well soooo what?

See, you have already added to the first Commandment, "ou must be referring to what Jesus told the Pharisees when they were trying to trap Him

"Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second [is] like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." Matthew 36-40

Now you are saying the first Commandment is to love God and take a deep breath. Appreciate, respect, and love no matter how retarted we may seem. How do you get that out of what Jesus said?

We have to do a certain amout of judging, but the Bible must be our guide. Jesus did love everyone, but He did not accept their sin. He would give them healing or forgivness, but He would tell them to turn from their sin. Our standard is Jesus and the Bible is His word. We use the Bible to determine what is and isn't acceptable. If we, or someone else, is living a sinful life we are to judge by the Bible. Then changes in lifestyle or attitudes must be made. It's been said that we aren't to be judges but we are to be fruit inspectors. If a Christian is living an unfruitful life, a loving brother or sister in Christ will notice that and point out error. Hopefully to one in error will repent and get right with God.

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Nathele

[agiopolem]

When Jesus is asked if he is the Christ, he replies, "I AM."

60Then the high priest stood up before them and asked Jesus, "Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?" 61But Jesus remained silent and gave no answer.

Again the high priest asked him, "Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?"

62"I am," said Jesus. "And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven."

63The high priest tore his clothes. "Why do we need any more witnesses?" he asked. 64"You have heard the blasphemy. What do you think?"

They then state that as evidence of blasphemy. This is because those words were holy, authentic; the evidence God gave Moses to give to the people that He was God. (Exodus 3:14)

Edited November 13, 2007 by agiopolem