All Praises To The MOST HIGH YAH In HaMashiac! I just read a comment that said, "Mashiac said keep the Commandments not the Statutes." I guess that person never looked up the definition of Commandment, Laws, Statutes, Ordinances, Mandate, Decree, Dictum, Mitzvah, Order, Canon or Precepts. If that person was right in their understanding, then Mashiac would've quoted Exodus 20:3
"Thou shalt have no other gods before me." But Mashiac said Mark 12:29
"And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:
" Mark 12:30
"And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment."
Clearly this is a Law given by Moses in Deuteronomy 6:4
"Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:
" Deuteronomy 6:5
"And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might."
If you believe that Mashiac only gave the 10 Commandments, what Commandment is Mark 12:29-30 cause He said its the first.
To enter into this conversation on the topic of discipleship/evangelism.
Deuteronomy 6:4-8 came to mind as the Israelites were commanded to teach their children according to the ways God proscribed to this chosen nation.
I think that this verse applies to the church in that we are to teach sound doctrine to those who come into the church by faith in Jesus. Since there was not Scriptures printed for all to read and that not all were able to read, it was important for the leaders to read the Scriptures they had access to and to teach what they learned from the apostles in order to encourage growth and maturity among the believers. Just as parents are responsible for bringing their children up in the faith, those who bring are brought into fellowship are to be brought up in the faith taught by the apostles. So, I don't think that either evangelism nor discipleship are primary or secondary, but both are vital to the health of the individual (to hear the gospel and grow in doctrinal knowledge of God and His ways) and the church (to preach the gospel and disciple those who are babes to become mature and able to teach others Scriptural truths). Some are gifted and called more specifically for evangelism and others for discipleship. While it is only by faith that one is saved in Christ, the church is tasked with discipling converts and babes in Christ. Paul did plenty of discipling in his letters to the churches he had planted.
It seems to me that God wills for every believer to grow in their faith and knowledge of the truths taught in Scripture, and, even though we do not need to be perfect in every way to be saved, it is valuable to each believer to be discipled and to learn to feed themselves on the Word, its truths and to grow into a life of willing service to God.
Jesus defined eternal life this way: to know the one true God and Jesus. This involves a right relationship with God, but then we are to grow in grace and in the knowledge of God.
Just me, seems there are fewer discussions lately on this site and Momsage's post suggested discussion. My understanding of discussions is brothers and sisters sharing their understanding of a subject not to belittle or to prove one as being wrong, but by sharing our understanding of a subject that will encourage each other to study in prayer for the truth.
What is faith? We see in Hebrews 11:1,6 We also have Romans 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
We are to have faith but our faith cannot be based on the word of man where we can be deceived and taken out of the way. Our faith must come from the word of God guided by His Spirit and His word is the Holy Scripture, He has given us.
This one subject is based on the word of man, nowhere in Scripture does it tell us we must believe or have faith in a triune God, but the opposite, Deuteronomy 6:4Mark 12:291 Timothy 2:5, and many more. "God made us a living soul" Soul is the Hebrew word nephesh, a living being, any living being, every air-breathing creature is a nephesh, a living being/soul.
Genesis 1:26 many apply the Trinity to this verse but then we must ignore verse 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. This could also easily be first-person plural, like mom says, let us make tacos and then she is the one who makes the tacos. If we lived before 489 AD, before the Trinity doctrine was made the foundational belief of Christianity, and the punishment of heresy, how would we take this verse?
If we walk in the world we will perish, if we walk in the Spirit our faith is in Jesus and our hope is as Jesus was resurrected in His glorified body so we shall also be resurrected in our glorified body into eternal life with Him.
Hello Adam. I consider your question through two separate perspectives: one, before the incarnation of the Word of God and the other, after it. From my readings of the whole Word of God, I don't believe that the writers of the OT nor their hearers would have understood any other concept or acceptance of the God's Nature other than 'He is One & there is none beside Him' (e.g. Isaiah 45:5.6).
Even the "Shema Yisrael" ( Deuteronomy 6:4,5) is Israel's central belief & affirmation on the singularity of God's Person, & any suggestion of a 'compound' Nature of God would be anathema. Also Isaiah 53:1-12 and Isaiah 9:6,7 references to a coming Messiah, which should clearly reveal the Divine Nature of a Coming One, is discarded by them, then & now. So, anything of a Triune God must be rejected by the Jew, & only the operation of God by His Spirit (i.e. God revealing Himself & working before them) should be acceptable to them (e.g. Psalm 51:10,11; Isaiah 11:2; & many others). As believers though, we can see the Triune God in operation in the whole Bible, but Israel is blinded to this Truth & their hearts hardened.
When Jesus came & spoke (e.g. John 16:27,28; John 17:5), He declared His Divine Nature, that which was not revealed before. So your reference ( Matthew 22:32), speaks primarily of the One Nature of God; but to those who believe, having received salvation through Jesus Christ, know that the God of Abraham, Isaac, & Jacob was always the Triune God, Who would one day manifest Himself fully to a needy world: God's Word first by the prophets, now given through His Word made flesh ( Hebrews 1:1-3) . What Israel knew of the One God then, should have revealed the full Nature of a Triune God at the appearance of their Messiah. But their eyes were blinded & hearts hardened. Therefore, as Christians, I believe that we should see God (in the OT & NT) as a Triune God, manifesting Himself also as His Word and His Spirit going forth to accomplish His Will over His creation.
John 10:34- seems to be a popular verse here. People want to believe they are a god, is that what's happening here? That would be a gross misinterpretation. You know this is a quote with a question mark at the end, right? Let's be honest about it. Here's the commentary for that:
Christ's argument is: If your law calls judges gods, why should I be held guilty of blasphemy for saying that I am the Son of God?
As per the other argument trying to discredit the word "one" sounds like your argument is that one doesn't really mean one, because Jesus used it to describe believers being one. I don't see how being one in unity as Christ's body somehow means that all the Bible verses about Jesus being God and divine suddenly don't apply? The verse about the Father and Son being one is only one of MANY verses competing the picture. The Bible already says Jesus the Word is God so how can you disregard that?
God: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." John 1:1 KJV
You: Word was "NOT" God?
"Then said they unto him, Where is thy Father? Jesus answered, Ye neither know me, nor my Father: if ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also." John 8:19 KJV
Have you thought about how your belief reconciles with verses like this above?
Isaiah 7:14 -
Yes, Jesus is called Immanuel which means "God with us". People called Jesus "God". He's King of King and Lord of Lords. Alpha and Omega, first and last. Do you believe Jesus is Lord? I believe that is a requirement for even being a Christian. A Christ follower should know who Christ is.
1 John 5:7-8
John 10:30
John 8:19
Genesis 1:26
Genesis 11:6-7 (plural "us" which includes Jesus, as per John 1:1)
"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." 1 Corinthians 8:6 KJV
"Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:" Deuteronomy 6:4 KJV
"Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God." Isaiah 44:6 KJV
You said you think Jesus is "a GOD". This is shocking to read.
Have you read the verses above that say there is one God? Do you believe those verses? If so, why do believe there is more than one God?
Then you continue with flawed human logic: this can't be true because of [this], etc.
The rest of what you wrote does not seem consistent with scripture. What religion do you identify with?
"And it shall be our righteousness, if we observe to do all these commandments before the LORD our God, as He hath commanded us."
Well, we know how that went. The Israelites found out that they could not, would not, and failed miserably to gain righteousness on their own because they were unable to keep from breaking God's commands. The Law shows us our sinfulness and our need for a Savior. The Israelites as a whole, must have thought that they could fall back on the sacrificial system to remove their sins when they failed God. But they could not truly say they gained their own righteousness because they could not keep the Law.
Only Jesus is righteous, completely sinless, and worthy of God's acceptance as a truly human person. His divine nature always remained divine, but His human nature needed to choose obedience to God always, and He did. His righteousness is imputed to us because He was the perfectly acceptable sacrifice for our sins. He did what we could never do, never sin, and be of such worth that His sacrifice took away all of our sins.
The Israelites grew accustomed to sinning against God, going after idols, and forgetting Him who delivered them from bondage. May we not fall into such a state. Thank God for giving us the Holy Spirit, without Whom we would not be able to continue in faith and obedience to God every day. God provides us with all we need for life and godliness through the work of Jesus for us and by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in us to sanctify us and empower us to desire to obey our God and Savior. He is the only One who can save us. Let always be turned toward Him, seeking Him wholeheartedly, hiding His word in our hearts, and sharing the hope we possess in Jesus, our Lord.
God tells them to write them on their doorposts where they come in and go out. They are to be able to be read from the inside or outside of the entry to their home. Even to write them on the gates of one's property. To me this sounds like such a good thing to do, to have God's Words visible around one's house.
God then promises to be true to His promises He made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to bring these descendants into the land promised. They will be blessed with the work of the people whom they drive out of the lands they will possess. God plans to give them good cities and homes to dwell in, fields, and vineyards, olive groves, and wells, none of which they planted, dug, or tended so as to be made full of the what the land will already have waiting for them. They will not have to begin from scratch as Noah and his family had to do after the flood. The land will already be ready for them.
But then, God warns them not to forget Him, nor to forget Egypt and the bondage they were brought out of. Rather, they are to fear Him, serve him, and swear by His name and not that of any other idol god. They are to stay clear of idols and the idolaters around them. They should not inquire about them or the way the pagans serve their idols. God says He is jealous for their worship and service and they are to not divide their religious faith and allegiance with idols that cannot help them nor save them.
The Israelites were to be careful about how they lived, worshipped, and taught their children. They are to be ready to explain to their children what God had done for them and why they are to worship Him alone by adhering to His commands, statues, and the good testimony of Him to Israel. We are to be knowledgeable of what we are to explain to our kids about the Lord and His truths. We are not to neglect this important aspect of parenting. I wish I had been even more diligent in doing this with my sons.
After instructing the people to fear Him, listen to Him, and obey His commands, God speaks the great words of the Shema:
Hear, O Israel, the LORD our God is one LORD.
There is not a multiplicity of God that are true and worthy of worship. There is only One: YHWH
This statement will be of utmost importance when He sends His Son and the Holy Spirit, each of Whom is God, but not three Gods, but One unified Divine Being that is three distinct Persons in a relationship of love and unity. There is but One true God, no other, and ever will there be but one God to worship. In the fullness of time, God's elect will learn of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, each who is to be worshipped and glorified, but we are to remember that God is One in substance, love, will, and workings.
The Shema goes on to say: Love the LORD your God with all of one's heart, soul, and strength. We are to love Him with all that we are: our minds, bodies, soul, powers, will, actions, words, thoughts, relationships, and emotions. There is nothing about us that we are to withhold from Him. All of us belongs to Him, We have been bought with a price, our life is not our own to live our own way, but to live to God.
God then tells them to put His words in one's heart. To know His commands thoroughly and to teach them to our children often. We are to be a holy example to our children, our spouse, our neighbor, those who are in authority over us, and those who we have authority over. We are to submit to God in all affairs, living according to God's ways, not our own sense of right and wrong. to do what is right in God's eyes, not what seems right in our own eyes.
We are to recall God's Word when we lay down to sleep and when we rise up, when we work and when we rest. The Israelites are to bind God's Law upon their wrists, put them as frontlets between one's eyes. God's ways were to be ever before them, keeping them from being double-minded or forgetful of what God requires of His people.d
In this chapter Moses is setting the stage for the delivering of the Law to the people of Israel who were too young when the nation was gathered at Sinai to fully understand what God was asking of them in regards to worshipping and serving Him individually and as a nation.
First, God calls the Israelites to fear Him. This means to revere Him and understand that He is able to make alive or destroy, raise up or bring down, bless or curse. Recognizing His worthiness for obedience, worship, and service is emphasized in the term: fear. Remembering his mighty, miraculous, and awesome deeds done in the flight out of Egypt, the crossing of the Red Sea, the water coming forth in the wilderness, the descent of God upon Sinai, the pillar of cloud and fire, quail and manna each morning, the deliverance from enemies, reminds that He is not a God who is weak and unable to do as He pleases or so congenial that one can take sin lightly and He will not require judgment, and that He is a God who cannot be stood up to and prevail. He puts down the proud and haughty, disciplines those He has chosen, and brings calamity upon the persistently disobedient. He takes offense at idolatry and His anger and wrath is fearsome. The Israelites needed to know all of these things in order to take Him seriously and, knowing that there is no other God to serve, they are obligated to obey, love and worship Him alone.
Then God says that His commands and statutes are ongoing. They pass on to the lives of one's children and grandchildren and future descendants. They are sure and consistent. God will not change nor amend them as time passes. They are for the good of the individual and the nation. (vs. 3)
God tells the people to hear Him, listen attentively and soberly with the intent to obey God's commands. In doing so, life will go well for the obedient. There will be increase of blessing in the life of the obedient, and prosperity in the land they will be entering, as promised to the forefathers.
YHWH / YAHWEH / JEHOVAH [yah-way / ji-hoh-veh]: "LORD" ( Deuteronomy 6:4; Daniel 9:14) - strictly speaking, the only proper name for God. Translated in English Bibles "LORD" (all capitals) to distinguish it from Adonai, "Lord." The revelation of the name is given to Moses "I Am who I Am" ( Exodus 3:14). This name specifies an immediacy, a presence. Yahweh is present, accessible, near to those who call on Him for deliverance ( Psalm 107:13), forgiveness ( Psalm 25:11) and guidance ( Psalm 31:3).
YAHWEH-JIREH [yah-way-ji-reh]: "The Lord Will Provide" ( Genesis 22:14) - the name memorialized by Abraham when God provided the ram to be sacrificed in place of Isaac.
YAHWEH-RAPHA [yah-way-raw-faw]: "The Lord Who Heals" ( Exodus 15:26) - "I am Jehovah who heals you" both in body and soul. In body, by preserving from and curing diseases, and in soul, by pardoning iniquities.
YAHWEH-NISSI [yah-way-nee-see]: "The Lord Our Banner" ( Exodus 17:15), where banner is understood to be a rallying place. This name commemorates the desert victory over the Amalekites in Exodus 17.
YAHWEH-M'KADDESH [yah-way-meh-kad-esh]: "The Lord Who Sanctifies, Makes Holy" ( Leviticus 20:8; Ezekiel 37:28) - God makes it clear that He alone, not the law, can cleanse His people and make them holy.
YAHWEH-SHALOM [yah-way-shah-lohm]: "The Lord Our Peace" ( Judges 6:24) - the name given by Gideon to the altar he built after the Angel of the Lord assured him he would not die as he thought he would after seeing Him.
YAHWEH-ELOHIM [yah-way-el-oh-him]: "LORD God" ( Genesis 2:4; Psalm 59:5) - a combination of God's unique name YHWH and the generic word for "God" signifying that He is the Lord who is God.
If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.
Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us.
Jesus saith unto him, HAVE I BEEN SO LONG TIME WITH YOU, AND YET HAST THOU NOT KNOWN ME, PHILIP? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?
1 Corinthians 15:28.
And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, THAT GOD MAY BE ALL IN ALL.
This is after the Millennium reign, Then he will establish the eternal reign.
Then he will return to his place where he was in the beginning,
( back to the God head)
"That God may be all in all"
Who raised Christ from the dead?
John 10:17-18.
Romans 8:11.
Act 13:30.
Answer; The triune God. "Elohm".
If Jesus is the body of the Father but yet a separate God as one claims. That contradicts what is written in scripture.
Ephesians 4:4-6.
"There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;
One Lord, one faith, one baptism,
One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all."
We're servants and worshipers of that one God. Now and for ever.
More on work and church activities and God's evaluation of our lives.
Whatever our giftings; whether in natural abilities or spiritual gifts (often coming alongside those with certain innate talents and training) we are warned to be a "profitable" servant. Compare this with Matthew 25:26-30 on the UNprofitable servant. All good things come from God above so far as gifts are concerned. ( James 1:17). Therefore we are called to love God with all of our "heart, soul and mind" ( Matt. 22:37-40 from first command in Deuteronomy 6:5. It is tempting for many to keep their private lives under wraps and leave it to those in the limelight or leadership to concern themselves with their personal lives that are under more constant public scrutiny. And if hypocritical judgments favoring those in leadership to hold onto their positions because of the "reputation" of the church or favoritism as opposed to others involved in sin; there IS a problem. The assumption here is that with proper leadership and character required being demonstrated among the elders and Pastors then the congregation should get proper discipleship.
Part of the issue also has to do with "formal" religion performed in congregations as opposed to those involved in private homes with Bible studies; etc. The same distinction may be in people's minds between a formally declared "service project" as compared with those skilled; willing and able to help with a layperson in need of home repair; moving furniture; or even financial assistance. Another point was brought up today about those not taking care of their own widows and family needs as being "worse than an infidel." ( 1 Tim. 5:8). Such an instance where a missionary excursion is chosen along with the financial expenditures ahead of helping a family member in need would in that case be a sin if we are the only ones that can help in that situation. Same can be said for long term abandonment of a wife and kids for the mission field.
Hello Javier. That's a good question. It is my understanding that Jesus became Jesus (i.e. given this Name) at His Birth ( Matthew 1:21). I don't believe Jesus was known as Jesus prior to His incarnation, rather, the Bible (in the NT), speaks of Him as God's Word ( John 1:1-14). As you know, God is One ( Deuteronomy 6:4); God cannot be divided up into many gods. Yet God can do something that we humans can't: He can send out His Word & He can send out His Spirit. So we don't get three gods, but the One Holy God manifesting Himself in other forms (for our sake). We can't do this; I can speak or write my thoughts for another to heed, but in the end, they are only words. And I certainly can't send out my spirit to do a work on my behalf - even if I could, I would then be spirit-less, therefore, dead. But God is wholly a Spirit-Being ( John 4:24) & can do any work & be anywhere as He Wills - something you & I cannot do as our spirits are confined to bodies of flesh.
So, at the appointed time ( Romans 5:6), God sent out His Word for His people (Israel), just as He did by the mouths of the prophets in the Old Testament days. But this time, God clothed His Word with flesh, so that Israel might not only hear from God directly to them, but also witness that this One from Heaven has come to be the supreme Sacrifice for them. Their other sacrifices were only temporary until the coming of God's Sacrifice: Himself (His Word made flesh).
Then to your question: for Jesus (the Word out of God's Being) to live as a man, suffer & die as a man, he would have had to lay aside those attributes of Divinity that could never permit Him an experience of pain & death. Philippians 2:5-8 gives a perfect explanation of how Jesus had to humble Himself, not hold onto His equality with God before men , instead became their servant. Jesus now is God's Son, & as a man with human feelings, would rightly call out, in prayer, to His Father in Heaven; & He will always be God's Son seated beside His Father.
"For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ." Jude 1:4 KJV
"And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God." John 20:28 KJV
"And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:" Mark 12:29 KJV
"Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:" Deuteronomy 6:4 KJV
"And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments." Revelation 16:7 KJV
Romans 10:9 , Luke 2:11, Philippians 2:11, 2 Corinthians 4:5
Hi Neveah. Just further to GiGi's accurate & helpful comment, I would like to clarify an oft mistaken understanding of the Person of God. As you asked, "How can God be three people at the same time?", I think many people, even some Christians, seem to think that the word 'Trinity' implies three gods. Why? Because it's difficult for the human finite mind to comprehend how one can be divided into three & still equal one, without becoming fractions. But it's not one dividing into three, but three together manifesting the one.
This is where the first error comes in: that some believe that God can be divided. The Scriptures remind us that God is One ( Deuteronomy 6:4; Deuteronomy 4:35,39) & there is no other god beside Him. Then the fact that we read in the Word, of God's Spirit and God's Son, we are then inclined to believe that the Spirit & Son are separate gods from the One God. The Bible tells us in 1 John 5:7, "For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one." So, in the person of God we find the evidence of Father, the Word, & the Holy Ghost. This is God for Who He is - the absence of any one of these 'aspects' negates the reality of God or any evidence of Him (i.e. God cannot be God unless His Word & Spirit are in existence within Him).
Now God can do what mortal man cannot do: He can send out His Spirit to fulfil His Will & Plans for the universe & for us. He has also chosen to send out His Word, clothe the Word with human flesh for the salvation & redemption of sinners ( John 1:1-14). Impossible for us to do, but not impossible with God. Is God now deficient in Himself by doing all this? Not so. Both the Spirit & the Word were sent out by God from within God, & all they have done & continue to do are in perfect harmony with God's Mind, Power, & Purpose. Simply put, the Word (Jesus) & the Spirit can never do anything outside of God's Will because they are fully within or sent from God's Being.
- Faith camas by hearing and by hearing the word of God, you need to check what is taking your time with God what i mean is do you put other things first instead of God ?eg your Phone Tv, walks to the park Gyms and so many things.
- what do your spend most of your time doing? make God your priority when your free.
- we tend to run to God when we have needs rather than walk with him and when the needs comes he will help us.
- Remember psalms 1;1 Blessed is the man who delights in the law of the lord, and this man he madidates day and night so all he wants is the word of God and God has said he will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed in him.
- all i am saying is Put God first in your life as its written you shall love the lord your
Deuteronomy 6:4-7
4 "Hear, O Israel: [a]The Lord our God, the Lord is one! 5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength
.according to the written word of God we cant force anyone all we can do is preach then you make the choice
6 "And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.
(this Translation will help you to understand )
So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the message about Christ.
Romans 10:17
So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
(PLEASE CALL TO GOD TAKE TIME TO PRAY ASK THE AUTHOR FOR HELP HE IS FAITHFULL ) i am a sinner just like you but its by the grace of GOD i encourage you SEEK HIM FIRST,
Hello Ellyn, you can read my response to Jacqui for some ideas that may help you understand Who the Father, Son, and Holy spirit are within the One Godhead. Jesus tells us in Matthew 28:29 that Christian baptism is to be done in the name of the Godhead: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. He was speaking this revelation to His apostles before He ascended back up to heaven to sit at the right hand of God, the Father. These apostles were Jewish and Judaism and Israelites in the O.T. believed in One God, as God states in the "Shema" in Deuteronomy 6:4-5. These apostles would need Jesus' teaching and the that of the Holy Spirit to come to understand and believe that this One God of their Scriptures (O.T.) consists of Three Persons in One Being, with all three possess this One Divine Essence, yet are distinct from One Another. In this verse ( Matthew 28:19) Jesus reveals that this One LORD of the Shema is a reality of Three Persons in One God. So, when the apostles were taught this by Jesus and given understanding and faith to believe it by the Holy Spirit, they understood the Shema more truthfully than they had been taught about it from the rabbis. Hear, O Israel, the LORD (YHWH) our God, the LORD (duet. 6:4-5) YHWH) is one God here in Deuteronomy was teaching the Israelites that there is only one God, not many, like the pagans believed in the world with them. Jesus, in Matthew 20:19 teaches the Apostles and all believers that this ONE God is not many Gods (as the Shema teaches) but then three Persons in One Godhead.
Let us know if you have more questions, Ellyn. This topic comes up often on here. You can look under the Bible Questions tab and click on "Is God a Trinity?" link to read more. You can go to sites like Got Questions, Compelling Truth and Test All Things asking "How is God One Being, yet Three Persons?" for more good information.
Hello Jacqui, I just noticed a possible misunderstanding. I'm reading Giannis's quote:
"God is one but there are 3 distinct persons which are called The Father, The Son(who became the man Jesus Christ) and The Holly Spirit."
And now I'm reading your quote:
"I believe something slightly different to Gianni's . I do not believe that the Holy Spirit is a separate being from God . This is not a common belief amongst Christians but I can assure you it's not exactly unheard of either . "
He didn't use the word separate and didn't say anything was separate from God, either, but distinct within God. Deuteronomy 6:4 says God is one. There's only one God. And within the one God 1 John 5:7 says there are 3 parts. The 3 are still one. This is what most Christians believe because this is what the Bible says.
All 3 components of one God are already spirits. God the Father is a spirit, God the Son (Jesus) is a spirit, and the Holy Spirit is a spirit.
By your comment, within one God do you only believe in only 2 parts within one God instead of 3 parts within one God like 1 John 5:7 says? God bless.
I'm not sure if your question was about GOD or man. I will try my best to answer it. Ironically " ambiguous " meaning double meaning._._
I think that GOD's WORD the Bible is clear, when we study, & pray for wisdom. James 1:5,
1st GOD gave people dominion: Genesis 1:26,27,28, = power, dominion ect. Within 2nd Generation & continued; 1st crime: Genesis 4:6-9, & Genesis 4:23, dominion with disregard for others, even anothers very life. Genesis 6:5, Exodus 1:8,13,16,22, even disregard for life of children
Even then though GOD doesn't disregard HE repayed. Exodus 12:29, Exodus 13:15, notice the whole chapter of Exodus 12, points to John 3:15,16,17, Again people with dominion & power disregarding life of innocent: Luke 22:1,2,7,20,54,63,64, continued; Luke 23:1,2,15,21,33,34,
Also: they killed their own children, Leviticus 18:21, Leviticus 20:1-8, that GOD had destroyed nations for that sin! 1Kings 11:7, 2Kings 23:10,
Jeremiah 32:35, ( how? ) it's unimaginable even to GOD ALMIGHTY ! Jeremiah 7:31, Jeremiah 19:5, 2Chronicles 33:9, 1Kings 11:1-12, Deuteronomy 6:14, Deuteronomy 7:1-8, why? Was it because they destroyed the children, had disregard for innocent lives of their own offspring? Images of GOD
Psalms 82:6, in context Psalms 82,
GOD will Judge: Matthew 25:31-46, Matthew 18:5,6,10,14, Matthew 19:14, Mark 9:42, Luke 17:2, 2Peter 2:7-9, Psalms 9:7,
If your question is regarding "us" "believers" Luke 12:32, Revelation 21,
There will be suffering here on Earth but promises to those who endure, Matthew 24, Mark 13, Revelation 10, 2Timothy 2:3, Revelation 6:9-11,
Let's see what else God's Word has to say in regards to your snarky comment against Jesus.
A few verses before in 2 Peter 1:11 it says "Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." Do you believe Jesus is your Lord and Savior?
Do you know what "Lord" means?
The same old straw man fallacy shows up again that God the Son isn't God the Father, but no one is claiming that. This attack on Jesus is repeated so much it seems to fall into the disingenuous and lie territory.
God is powerful enough to do what you don't comprehend as a man. Whether you comprehend that or not doesn't change reality or the truth. The Bible says that in John 1 the 'word was God' and was there at the beginning, so do you believe it?
More of God's truth about God:
Luke 4:34 - "Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art; the Holy One of God."
Luke 4:12 after satan put Jesus to the test Jesus says "Do not put the Lord your God to the test."
Isaiah 7:14 - Jesus is called Immanuel which means "God with us"
Isaiah 42:5 "Thus saith God the LORD..."
Isaiah 42:8 "I am the LORD: that is my name..."
Hebrews 1:8 "But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom."
Godhead:
Colossians 2:9
Acts 17:29
Romans 1:20
John 1:18
God is we and us plural:
Genesis 1:26
If the Bible flat out said Jesus is God like it does would you believe it?
Where are the verses that say Jesus isn't God the Son? (none)
Where are the verses saying Jesus IS God the Son (above, numerous)
And where are the verses where Jesus verbally denied being God? (none)
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
Who is the Word?
John 1:14-15 says the Word is Jesus. Does anyone deny that the Word is Jesus?
If someone believes John 1:14, then do they believe John 1:1
"...the Word was God."
"...[Jesus] was God."
JESUS.
WAS.
GOD.
John 1:1
This is God's Word.
Some here are saying "Jesus was NOT God" despite John 1:1 clearly saying Jesus WAS God. I'd like to know exactly how someone can believe in all other verses of the Bible except this one? If something WAS something, that seems to offer little room for interpretation. It means it's the same, does it not? So, if something WAS something, how does someone twist this into believing it says something WAS NOT something?
It then must be asked: since it takes so much effort to take a sentence something WAS something to turn it into: something WAS NOT something, what is the true underlying motive here? Does God's Word carry the most weight and influence or does something else?
This is eerily similar to Gen 3:4 where satan denied what God said and claimed that they shall NOT surely die. Satan loves opposites and this seems to have his signature, does it not?
I welcome any perspective I'm missing, but do not consider anything other Bible verses as valid evidence. God's Word is all that matters and because there's already numerous verses supporting that Jesus is God like John 1:1 then that is what is true. Lastly, why not just pray and ask God directly to know the truth? Genuinely ask!
This is an interesting logical argument. I find that in 1 Peter 3:22. Let's assume for argument's sake that your conclusion is correct and you get 1 point for this.
But for every verse you cite, there are even more that say that Jesus IS God, like John 1:1 saying the "Word was God" and verse 14 that Jesus is the Word.
This could continue to play out and you can cite any number of verses to support your position, but again we don't run out of very compelling verses saying that Jesus is God.
Let's say that it's a dead even race. 30 verses suggesting Jesus isn't vs 30 verses suggesting He is.
Then what? Which do you choose to believe?
I don't know if you've gone through this exercise or not, but I now have a spoiler: someone will run out of verses supporting that Jesus "isn't" God long before the verses supporting He IS God. Not only that, but each of the verses commonly cited to claim that Jesus "isn't" God require some extra creative interpretation and human logic whereas the verses supporting the other side can be read and interpreted more literally. Not only that, but there's logical explanations for why Jesus called His Father God. The main reason is that He temporarily became a human being and limited His power. Phil 2:6-7. So, yes, as a man, He prayed to His Father and called Him God. So, all verses must be considered as a whole, not cherry picked in order to have understanding about the Godhead and I admit it is hard to comprehend as we don't have anything like it in on earth. But perhaps like an orange with seeds, pulp, skin. Someone calls pulp an orange, and it is.
David calls upon his soul and all that is in him to bless the Lord. The Lord blesses us, but how can we "bless" Him? In this context, the term "bless" means "to praise with strong affection." By calling upon his soul and all that is within him to praise the Lord, David summons his soul, mind, strength, and heart to praise Him ( Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 22:36-40).
David also gives a reason to praise the Lord: He is holy. He is completely separate from sin. When the Lord appeared to Moses in a burning bush and commissioned him to demand that Pharaoh release the Hebrews from captivity, He told Moses to remove his sandals because he was standing on holy ground ( Exodus 3:5). The ground was holy only because God was present there. Isaiah received a revelation of the Lord's holiness in the temple. He heard the seraphim pronounce, "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts" ( Isaiah 6:3). Praising the Lord for His gracious gifts to us is appropriate, but it is also appropriate to praise Him because He is holy.
Psalm 103:1-5 records David commanding his entire inner being to praise the Lord and to remember all the Lord's benefits. He credits the Lord with forgiveness of sin and healing of diseases. He says the Lord redeems the believer's life from the realm of the dead and bestows on him steadfast love, mercy, satisfaction, and renewal.
Psalm 103 praises God for what He has done. This includes celebration of His personal influence, as well as the way God has blessed the nation of Israel. David encourages praises from himself, from the people in general, and even from the angels and hosts of heaven.
Amen. I agree with much that you have stated here in this thread.
I believe that we should all agree, that the Bible is God's Word, and I believe we are to read the words literally. Another good reason to read the bible in a literal manner is because Jesus Christ took it literally. From time to time, Jesus quotes directly from the OT. When Jesus was tempted by Satan in Luke 4, he answered using quotes from the OT., God's commands in Deuteronomy 6:13, 8:3, are literal, and Jesus used them in this manner.
So, if Jesus shows us in scripture that He took the bible literally, I believe we should too!
"Thou shalt have no other gods before me." But Mashiac said Mark 12:29
"And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:
" Mark 12:30
"And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment."
Clearly this is a Law given by Moses in Deuteronomy 6:4
"Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:
" Deuteronomy 6:5
"And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might."
If you believe that Mashiac only gave the 10 Commandments, what Commandment is Mark 12:29-30 cause He said its the first.
To enter into this conversation on the topic of discipleship/evangelism.
Deuteronomy 6:4-8 came to mind as the Israelites were commanded to teach their children according to the ways God proscribed to this chosen nation.
I think that this verse applies to the church in that we are to teach sound doctrine to those who come into the church by faith in Jesus. Since there was not Scriptures printed for all to read and that not all were able to read, it was important for the leaders to read the Scriptures they had access to and to teach what they learned from the apostles in order to encourage growth and maturity among the believers. Just as parents are responsible for bringing their children up in the faith, those who bring are brought into fellowship are to be brought up in the faith taught by the apostles. So, I don't think that either evangelism nor discipleship are primary or secondary, but both are vital to the health of the individual (to hear the gospel and grow in doctrinal knowledge of God and His ways) and the church (to preach the gospel and disciple those who are babes to become mature and able to teach others Scriptural truths). Some are gifted and called more specifically for evangelism and others for discipleship. While it is only by faith that one is saved in Christ, the church is tasked with discipling converts and babes in Christ. Paul did plenty of discipling in his letters to the churches he had planted.
It seems to me that God wills for every believer to grow in their faith and knowledge of the truths taught in Scripture, and, even though we do not need to be perfect in every way to be saved, it is valuable to each believer to be discipled and to learn to feed themselves on the Word, its truths and to grow into a life of willing service to God.
Jesus defined eternal life this way: to know the one true God and Jesus. This involves a right relationship with God, but then we are to grow in grace and in the knowledge of God.
Just me, seems there are fewer discussions lately on this site and Momsage's post suggested discussion. My understanding of discussions is brothers and sisters sharing their understanding of a subject not to belittle or to prove one as being wrong, but by sharing our understanding of a subject that will encourage each other to study in prayer for the truth.
What is faith? We see in Hebrews 11:1,6 We also have Romans 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
We are to have faith but our faith cannot be based on the word of man where we can be deceived and taken out of the way. Our faith must come from the word of God guided by His Spirit and His word is the Holy Scripture, He has given us.
This one subject is based on the word of man, nowhere in Scripture does it tell us we must believe or have faith in a triune God, but the opposite, Deuteronomy 6:4 Mark 12:29 1 Timothy 2:5, and many more. "God made us a living soul" Soul is the Hebrew word nephesh, a living being, any living being, every air-breathing creature is a nephesh, a living being/soul.
Genesis 1:26 many apply the Trinity to this verse but then we must ignore verse 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. This could also easily be first-person plural, like mom says, let us make tacos and then she is the one who makes the tacos. If we lived before 489 AD, before the Trinity doctrine was made the foundational belief of Christianity, and the punishment of heresy, how would we take this verse?
If we walk in the world we will perish, if we walk in the Spirit our faith is in Jesus and our hope is as Jesus was resurrected in His glorified body so we shall also be resurrected in our glorified body into eternal life with Him.
God bless,
RLW
Even the "Shema Yisrael" ( Deuteronomy 6:4,5) is Israel's central belief & affirmation on the singularity of God's Person, & any suggestion of a 'compound' Nature of God would be anathema. Also Isaiah 53:1-12 and Isaiah 9:6,7 references to a coming Messiah, which should clearly reveal the Divine Nature of a Coming One, is discarded by them, then & now. So, anything of a Triune God must be rejected by the Jew, & only the operation of God by His Spirit (i.e. God revealing Himself & working before them) should be acceptable to them (e.g. Psalm 51:10,11; Isaiah 11:2; & many others). As believers though, we can see the Triune God in operation in the whole Bible, but Israel is blinded to this Truth & their hearts hardened.
When Jesus came & spoke (e.g. John 16:27,28; John 17:5), He declared His Divine Nature, that which was not revealed before. So your reference ( Matthew 22:32), speaks primarily of the One Nature of God; but to those who believe, having received salvation through Jesus Christ, know that the God of Abraham, Isaac, & Jacob was always the Triune God, Who would one day manifest Himself fully to a needy world: God's Word first by the prophets, now given through His Word made flesh ( Hebrews 1:1-3) . What Israel knew of the One God then, should have revealed the full Nature of a Triune God at the appearance of their Messiah. But their eyes were blinded & hearts hardened. Therefore, as Christians, I believe that we should see God (in the OT & NT) as a Triune God, manifesting Himself also as His Word and His Spirit going forth to accomplish His Will over His creation.
Christ's argument is: If your law calls judges gods, why should I be held guilty of blasphemy for saying that I am the Son of God?
As per the other argument trying to discredit the word "one" sounds like your argument is that one doesn't really mean one, because Jesus used it to describe believers being one. I don't see how being one in unity as Christ's body somehow means that all the Bible verses about Jesus being God and divine suddenly don't apply? The verse about the Father and Son being one is only one of MANY verses competing the picture. The Bible already says Jesus the Word is God so how can you disregard that?
God: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." John 1:1 KJV
You: Word was "NOT" God?
"Then said they unto him, Where is thy Father? Jesus answered, Ye neither know me, nor my Father: if ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also." John 8:19 KJV
Have you thought about how your belief reconciles with verses like this above?
Isaiah 7:14 -
Yes, Jesus is called Immanuel which means "God with us". People called Jesus "God". He's King of King and Lord of Lords. Alpha and Omega, first and last. Do you believe Jesus is Lord? I believe that is a requirement for even being a Christian. A Christ follower should know who Christ is.
1 John 5:7-8
John 10:30
John 8:19
Genesis 1:26
Genesis 11:6-7 (plural "us" which includes Jesus, as per John 1:1)
Philippians 2:5-8
2 Corinthians 5:19
John 1:3
Matthew 28:19
1 Peter 1:2
2 Corinthians 13:14
Deuteronomy 6:4
John 14:10
John 20:28
1 John 2:22-24
Matthew 1:23-25
Colossians 2:9
Acts 17:29
Romans 1:20
Isaiah 7:14
Hebrews 1:8
Isaiah 44:6
Isaiah 43:11
"Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:" Deuteronomy 6:4 KJV
"Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God." Isaiah 44:6 KJV
You said you think Jesus is "a GOD". This is shocking to read.
Have you read the verses above that say there is one God? Do you believe those verses? If so, why do believe there is more than one God?
Then you continue with flawed human logic: this can't be true because of [this], etc.
The rest of what you wrote does not seem consistent with scripture. What religion do you identify with?
"And it shall be our righteousness, if we observe to do all these commandments before the LORD our God, as He hath commanded us."
Well, we know how that went. The Israelites found out that they could not, would not, and failed miserably to gain righteousness on their own because they were unable to keep from breaking God's commands. The Law shows us our sinfulness and our need for a Savior. The Israelites as a whole, must have thought that they could fall back on the sacrificial system to remove their sins when they failed God. But they could not truly say they gained their own righteousness because they could not keep the Law.
Only Jesus is righteous, completely sinless, and worthy of God's acceptance as a truly human person. His divine nature always remained divine, but His human nature needed to choose obedience to God always, and He did. His righteousness is imputed to us because He was the perfectly acceptable sacrifice for our sins. He did what we could never do, never sin, and be of such worth that His sacrifice took away all of our sins.
The Israelites grew accustomed to sinning against God, going after idols, and forgetting Him who delivered them from bondage. May we not fall into such a state. Thank God for giving us the Holy Spirit, without Whom we would not be able to continue in faith and obedience to God every day. God provides us with all we need for life and godliness through the work of Jesus for us and by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in us to sanctify us and empower us to desire to obey our God and Savior. He is the only One who can save us. Let always be turned toward Him, seeking Him wholeheartedly, hiding His word in our hearts, and sharing the hope we possess in Jesus, our Lord.
God then promises to be true to His promises He made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to bring these descendants into the land promised. They will be blessed with the work of the people whom they drive out of the lands they will possess. God plans to give them good cities and homes to dwell in, fields, and vineyards, olive groves, and wells, none of which they planted, dug, or tended so as to be made full of the what the land will already have waiting for them. They will not have to begin from scratch as Noah and his family had to do after the flood. The land will already be ready for them.
But then, God warns them not to forget Him, nor to forget Egypt and the bondage they were brought out of. Rather, they are to fear Him, serve him, and swear by His name and not that of any other idol god. They are to stay clear of idols and the idolaters around them. They should not inquire about them or the way the pagans serve their idols. God says He is jealous for their worship and service and they are to not divide their religious faith and allegiance with idols that cannot help them nor save them.
The Israelites were to be careful about how they lived, worshipped, and taught their children. They are to be ready to explain to their children what God had done for them and why they are to worship Him alone by adhering to His commands, statues, and the good testimony of Him to Israel. We are to be knowledgeable of what we are to explain to our kids about the Lord and His truths. We are not to neglect this important aspect of parenting. I wish I had been even more diligent in doing this with my sons.
The chapter ends with these words:
Hear, O Israel, the LORD our God is one LORD.
There is not a multiplicity of God that are true and worthy of worship. There is only One: YHWH
This statement will be of utmost importance when He sends His Son and the Holy Spirit, each of Whom is God, but not three Gods, but One unified Divine Being that is three distinct Persons in a relationship of love and unity. There is but One true God, no other, and ever will there be but one God to worship. In the fullness of time, God's elect will learn of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, each who is to be worshipped and glorified, but we are to remember that God is One in substance, love, will, and workings.
The Shema goes on to say: Love the LORD your God with all of one's heart, soul, and strength. We are to love Him with all that we are: our minds, bodies, soul, powers, will, actions, words, thoughts, relationships, and emotions. There is nothing about us that we are to withhold from Him. All of us belongs to Him, We have been bought with a price, our life is not our own to live our own way, but to live to God.
God then tells them to put His words in one's heart. To know His commands thoroughly and to teach them to our children often. We are to be a holy example to our children, our spouse, our neighbor, those who are in authority over us, and those who we have authority over. We are to submit to God in all affairs, living according to God's ways, not our own sense of right and wrong. to do what is right in God's eyes, not what seems right in our own eyes.
We are to recall God's Word when we lay down to sleep and when we rise up, when we work and when we rest. The Israelites are to bind God's Law upon their wrists, put them as frontlets between one's eyes. God's ways were to be ever before them, keeping them from being double-minded or forgetful of what God requires of His people.d
First, God calls the Israelites to fear Him. This means to revere Him and understand that He is able to make alive or destroy, raise up or bring down, bless or curse. Recognizing His worthiness for obedience, worship, and service is emphasized in the term: fear. Remembering his mighty, miraculous, and awesome deeds done in the flight out of Egypt, the crossing of the Red Sea, the water coming forth in the wilderness, the descent of God upon Sinai, the pillar of cloud and fire, quail and manna each morning, the deliverance from enemies, reminds that He is not a God who is weak and unable to do as He pleases or so congenial that one can take sin lightly and He will not require judgment, and that He is a God who cannot be stood up to and prevail. He puts down the proud and haughty, disciplines those He has chosen, and brings calamity upon the persistently disobedient. He takes offense at idolatry and His anger and wrath is fearsome. The Israelites needed to know all of these things in order to take Him seriously and, knowing that there is no other God to serve, they are obligated to obey, love and worship Him alone.
Then God says that His commands and statutes are ongoing. They pass on to the lives of one's children and grandchildren and future descendants. They are sure and consistent. God will not change nor amend them as time passes. They are for the good of the individual and the nation. (vs. 3)
God tells the people to hear Him, listen attentively and soberly with the intent to obey God's commands. In doing so, life will go well for the obedient. There will be increase of blessing in the life of the obedient, and prosperity in the land they will be entering, as promised to the forefathers.
Part 2.
YHWH / YAHWEH / JEHOVAH [yah-way / ji-hoh-veh]: "LORD" ( Deuteronomy 6:4; Daniel 9:14) - strictly speaking, the only proper name for God. Translated in English Bibles "LORD" (all capitals) to distinguish it from Adonai, "Lord." The revelation of the name is given to Moses "I Am who I Am" ( Exodus 3:14). This name specifies an immediacy, a presence. Yahweh is present, accessible, near to those who call on Him for deliverance ( Psalm 107:13), forgiveness ( Psalm 25:11) and guidance ( Psalm 31:3).
YAHWEH-JIREH [yah-way-ji-reh]: "The Lord Will Provide" ( Genesis 22:14) - the name memorialized by Abraham when God provided the ram to be sacrificed in place of Isaac.
YAHWEH-RAPHA [yah-way-raw-faw]: "The Lord Who Heals" ( Exodus 15:26) - "I am Jehovah who heals you" both in body and soul. In body, by preserving from and curing diseases, and in soul, by pardoning iniquities.
YAHWEH-NISSI [yah-way-nee-see]: "The Lord Our Banner" ( Exodus 17:15), where banner is understood to be a rallying place. This name commemorates the desert victory over the Amalekites in Exodus 17.
YAHWEH-M'KADDESH [yah-way-meh-kad-esh]: "The Lord Who Sanctifies, Makes Holy" ( Leviticus 20:8; Ezekiel 37:28) - God makes it clear that He alone, not the law, can cleanse His people and make them holy.
YAHWEH-SHALOM [yah-way-shah-lohm]: "The Lord Our Peace" ( Judges 6:24) - the name given by Gideon to the altar he built after the Angel of the Lord assured him he would not die as he thought he would after seeing Him.
YAHWEH-ELOHIM [yah-way-el-oh-him]: "LORD God" ( Genesis 2:4; Psalm 59:5) - a combination of God's unique name YHWH and the generic word for "God" signifying that He is the Lord who is God.
See Part 3.
Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:
There's only one God.
John 10:30.
John 14:7-9.
If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.
Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us.
Jesus saith unto him, HAVE I BEEN SO LONG TIME WITH YOU, AND YET HAST THOU NOT KNOWN ME, PHILIP? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?
1 Corinthians 15:28.
And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, THAT GOD MAY BE ALL IN ALL.
This is after the Millennium reign, Then he will establish the eternal reign.
Then he will return to his place where he was in the beginning,
( back to the God head)
"That God may be all in all"
Who raised Christ from the dead?
John 10:17-18.
Romans 8:11.
Act 13:30.
Answer; The triune God. "Elohm".
If Jesus is the body of the Father but yet a separate God as one claims. That contradicts what is written in scripture.
Ephesians 4:4-6.
"There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;
One Lord, one faith, one baptism,
One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all."
We're servants and worshipers of that one God. Now and for ever.
God will share his glory with no man.
Isaiah 42:8.
Whatever our giftings; whether in natural abilities or spiritual gifts (often coming alongside those with certain innate talents and training) we are warned to be a "profitable" servant. Compare this with Matthew 25:26-30 on the UNprofitable servant. All good things come from God above so far as gifts are concerned. ( James 1:17). Therefore we are called to love God with all of our "heart, soul and mind" ( Matt. 22:37-40 from first command in Deuteronomy 6:5. It is tempting for many to keep their private lives under wraps and leave it to those in the limelight or leadership to concern themselves with their personal lives that are under more constant public scrutiny. And if hypocritical judgments favoring those in leadership to hold onto their positions because of the "reputation" of the church or favoritism as opposed to others involved in sin; there IS a problem. The assumption here is that with proper leadership and character required being demonstrated among the elders and Pastors then the congregation should get proper discipleship.
Part of the issue also has to do with "formal" religion performed in congregations as opposed to those involved in private homes with Bible studies; etc. The same distinction may be in people's minds between a formally declared "service project" as compared with those skilled; willing and able to help with a layperson in need of home repair; moving furniture; or even financial assistance. Another point was brought up today about those not taking care of their own widows and family needs as being "worse than an infidel." ( 1 Tim. 5:8). Such an instance where a missionary excursion is chosen along with the financial expenditures ahead of helping a family member in need would in that case be a sin if we are the only ones that can help in that situation. Same can be said for long term abandonment of a wife and kids for the mission field.
So, at the appointed time ( Romans 5:6), God sent out His Word for His people (Israel), just as He did by the mouths of the prophets in the Old Testament days. But this time, God clothed His Word with flesh, so that Israel might not only hear from God directly to them, but also witness that this One from Heaven has come to be the supreme Sacrifice for them. Their other sacrifices were only temporary until the coming of God's Sacrifice: Himself (His Word made flesh).
Then to your question: for Jesus (the Word out of God's Being) to live as a man, suffer & die as a man, he would have had to lay aside those attributes of Divinity that could never permit Him an experience of pain & death. Philippians 2:5-8 gives a perfect explanation of how Jesus had to humble Himself, not hold onto His equality with God before men , instead became their servant. Jesus now is God's Son, & as a man with human feelings, would rightly call out, in prayer, to His Father in Heaven; & He will always be God's Son seated beside His Father.
"And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God." John 20:28 KJV
"And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:" Mark 12:29 KJV
"Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:" Deuteronomy 6:4 KJV
"And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments." Revelation 16:7 KJV
Romans 10:9 , Luke 2:11, Philippians 2:11, 2 Corinthians 4:5
Amen.
This is where the first error comes in: that some believe that God can be divided. The Scriptures remind us that God is One ( Deuteronomy 6:4; Deuteronomy 4:35,39) & there is no other god beside Him. Then the fact that we read in the Word, of God's Spirit and God's Son, we are then inclined to believe that the Spirit & Son are separate gods from the One God. The Bible tells us in 1 John 5:7, "For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one." So, in the person of God we find the evidence of Father, the Word, & the Holy Ghost. This is God for Who He is - the absence of any one of these 'aspects' negates the reality of God or any evidence of Him (i.e. God cannot be God unless His Word & Spirit are in existence within Him).
Now God can do what mortal man cannot do: He can send out His Spirit to fulfil His Will & Plans for the universe & for us. He has also chosen to send out His Word, clothe the Word with human flesh for the salvation & redemption of sinners ( John 1:1-14). Impossible for us to do, but not impossible with God. Is God now deficient in Himself by doing all this? Not so. Both the Spirit & the Word were sent out by God from within God, & all they have done & continue to do are in perfect harmony with God's Mind, Power, & Purpose. Simply put, the Word (Jesus) & the Spirit can never do anything outside of God's Will because they are fully within or sent from God's Being.
Verses considered thus far: Deuteronomy 6:4, Isaiah 43:11, Matthew 22:37, Mark 12:29
- Faith camas by hearing and by hearing the word of God, you need to check what is taking your time with God what i mean is do you put other things first instead of God ?eg your Phone Tv, walks to the park Gyms and so many things.
- what do your spend most of your time doing? make God your priority when your free.
- we tend to run to God when we have needs rather than walk with him and when the needs comes he will help us.
- Remember psalms 1;1 Blessed is the man who delights in the law of the lord, and this man he madidates day and night so all he wants is the word of God and God has said he will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed in him.
- all i am saying is Put God first in your life as its written you shall love the lord your
Deuteronomy 6:4-7
4 "Hear, O Israel: [a]The Lord our God, the Lord is one! 5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength
.according to the written word of God we cant force anyone all we can do is preach then you make the choice
6 "And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.
(this Translation will help you to understand )
So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the message about Christ.
Romans 10:17
So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
(PLEASE CALL TO GOD TAKE TIME TO PRAY ASK THE AUTHOR FOR HELP HE IS FAITHFULL ) i am a sinner just like you but its by the grace of GOD i encourage you SEEK HIM FIRST,
Let us know if you have more questions, Ellyn. This topic comes up often on here. You can look under the Bible Questions tab and click on "Is God a Trinity?" link to read more. You can go to sites like Got Questions, Compelling Truth and Test All Things asking "How is God One Being, yet Three Persons?" for more good information.
"God is one but there are 3 distinct persons which are called The Father, The Son(who became the man Jesus Christ) and The Holly Spirit."
And now I'm reading your quote:
"I believe something slightly different to Gianni's . I do not believe that the Holy Spirit is a separate being from God . This is not a common belief amongst Christians but I can assure you it's not exactly unheard of either . "
He didn't use the word separate and didn't say anything was separate from God, either, but distinct within God. Deuteronomy 6:4 says God is one. There's only one God. And within the one God 1 John 5:7 says there are 3 parts. The 3 are still one. This is what most Christians believe because this is what the Bible says.
All 3 components of one God are already spirits. God the Father is a spirit, God the Son (Jesus) is a spirit, and the Holy Spirit is a spirit.
By your comment, within one God do you only believe in only 2 parts within one God instead of 3 parts within one God like 1 John 5:7 says? God bless.
Exodus 4:12, Deuteronomy 4, Deuteronomy 5:31, Deuteronomy 6:7, Matthew 5:19, 1Timothy 4:11,
2Timothy 2:15, Jeremiah 1:7,
Why do you ask? I hope these help answer the root question
I'm not sure if your question was about GOD or man. I will try my best to answer it. Ironically " ambiguous " meaning double meaning._._
I think that GOD's WORD the Bible is clear, when we study, & pray for wisdom. James 1:5,
1st GOD gave people dominion: Genesis 1:26,27,28, = power, dominion ect. Within 2nd Generation & continued; 1st crime: Genesis 4:6-9, & Genesis 4:23, dominion with disregard for others, even anothers very life. Genesis 6:5, Exodus 1:8,13,16,22, even disregard for life of children
Even then though GOD doesn't disregard HE repayed. Exodus 12:29, Exodus 13:15, notice the whole chapter of Exodus 12, points to John 3:15,16,17, Again people with dominion & power disregarding life of innocent: Luke 22:1,2,7,20,54,63,64, continued; Luke 23:1,2,15,21,33,34,
Also: they killed their own children, Leviticus 18:21, Leviticus 20:1-8, that GOD had destroyed nations for that sin! 1Kings 11:7, 2Kings 23:10,
Jeremiah 32:35, ( how? ) it's unimaginable even to GOD ALMIGHTY ! Jeremiah 7:31, Jeremiah 19:5, 2Chronicles 33:9, 1Kings 11:1-12, Deuteronomy 6:14, Deuteronomy 7:1-8, why? Was it because they destroyed the children, had disregard for innocent lives of their own offspring? Images of GOD
Psalms 82:6, in context Psalms 82,
GOD will Judge: Matthew 25:31-46, Matthew 18:5,6,10,14, Matthew 19:14, Mark 9:42, Luke 17:2, 2Peter 2:7-9, Psalms 9:7,
If your question is regarding "us" "believers" Luke 12:32, Revelation 21,
There will be suffering here on Earth but promises to those who endure, Matthew 24, Mark 13, Revelation 10, 2Timothy 2:3, Revelation 6:9-11,
Hopefully these are helpful
A few verses before in 2 Peter 1:11 it says "Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." Do you believe Jesus is your Lord and Savior?
Do you know what "Lord" means?
The same old straw man fallacy shows up again that God the Son isn't God the Father, but no one is claiming that. This attack on Jesus is repeated so much it seems to fall into the disingenuous and lie territory.
God is powerful enough to do what you don't comprehend as a man. Whether you comprehend that or not doesn't change reality or the truth. The Bible says that in John 1 the 'word was God' and was there at the beginning, so do you believe it?
More of God's truth about God:
Luke 4:34 - "Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art; the Holy One of God."
Luke 4:12 after satan put Jesus to the test Jesus says "Do not put the Lord your God to the test."
Isaiah 7:14 - Jesus is called Immanuel which means "God with us"
Isaiah 42:5 "Thus saith God the LORD..."
Isaiah 42:8 "I am the LORD: that is my name..."
Hebrews 1:8 "But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom."
Godhead:
Colossians 2:9
Acts 17:29
Romans 1:20
John 1:18
God is we and us plural:
Genesis 1:26
If the Bible flat out said Jesus is God like it does would you believe it?
Where are the verses that say Jesus isn't God the Son? (none)
Where are the verses saying Jesus IS God the Son (above, numerous)
And where are the verses where Jesus verbally denied being God? (none)
"I AM" John 8:56-59
John 10:30
John 8:19
Philippians 2:5-8
2 Corinthians 5:19
John 1:3
Matthew 28:19
1 Peter 1:2
2 Corinthians 13:14
Deuteronomy 6:4
John 14:10
John 20:28
1 John 2:22-24
Matthew 1:23-25
Colossians 2:9
Acts 17:29
Romans 1:20
Isaiah 7:14
Hebrews 1:8
Isaiah 44:6
Isaiah 43:11
John 17:5
John 17:21
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
Who is the Word?
John 1:14-15 says the Word is Jesus. Does anyone deny that the Word is Jesus?
If someone believes John 1:14, then do they believe John 1:1
"...the Word was God."
"...[Jesus] was God."
JESUS.
WAS.
GOD.
John 1:1
This is God's Word.
Some here are saying "Jesus was NOT God" despite John 1:1 clearly saying Jesus WAS God. I'd like to know exactly how someone can believe in all other verses of the Bible except this one? If something WAS something, that seems to offer little room for interpretation. It means it's the same, does it not? So, if something WAS something, how does someone twist this into believing it says something WAS NOT something?
It then must be asked: since it takes so much effort to take a sentence something WAS something to turn it into: something WAS NOT something, what is the true underlying motive here? Does God's Word carry the most weight and influence or does something else?
This is eerily similar to Gen 3:4 where satan denied what God said and claimed that they shall NOT surely die. Satan loves opposites and this seems to have his signature, does it not?
I welcome any perspective I'm missing, but do not consider anything other Bible verses as valid evidence. God's Word is all that matters and because there's already numerous verses supporting that Jesus is God like John 1:1 then that is what is true. Lastly, why not just pray and ask God directly to know the truth? Genuinely ask!
1 John 5:7-8
John 10:30
John 8:19
Genesis 1:26
Genesis 11:6-7
(plural "us")
Philippians 2:5-8
2 Corinthians 5:19
John 1:3
Matthew 28:19
1 Peter 1:2
2 Corinthians 13:14
Deuteronomy 6:4
John 14:10
John 20:28
1 John 2:22-24
Matthew 1:23-25
Colossians 2:9
Acts 17:29
Romans 1:20
Isaiah 7:14
Hebrews 1:8
Isaiah 44:6
Isaiah 43:11
This is an interesting logical argument. I find that in 1 Peter 3:22. Let's assume for argument's sake that your conclusion is correct and you get 1 point for this.
But for every verse you cite, there are even more that say that Jesus IS God, like John 1:1 saying the "Word was God" and verse 14 that Jesus is the Word.
This could continue to play out and you can cite any number of verses to support your position, but again we don't run out of very compelling verses saying that Jesus is God.
Let's say that it's a dead even race. 30 verses suggesting Jesus isn't vs 30 verses suggesting He is.
Then what? Which do you choose to believe?
I don't know if you've gone through this exercise or not, but I now have a spoiler: someone will run out of verses supporting that Jesus "isn't" God long before the verses supporting He IS God. Not only that, but each of the verses commonly cited to claim that Jesus "isn't" God require some extra creative interpretation and human logic whereas the verses supporting the other side can be read and interpreted more literally. Not only that, but there's logical explanations for why Jesus called His Father God. The main reason is that He temporarily became a human being and limited His power. Phil 2:6-7. So, yes, as a man, He prayed to His Father and called Him God. So, all verses must be considered as a whole, not cherry picked in order to have understanding about the Godhead and I admit it is hard to comprehend as we don't have anything like it in on earth. But perhaps like an orange with seeds, pulp, skin. Someone calls pulp an orange, and it is.
1 John 5:7-8
John 10:30
John 8:19
Genesis 1:26
, Genesis 11:6-7 (plural "us")
Philippians 2:5-8
2 Corinthians 5:19
John 1:3
Matthew 28:19
1 Peter 1:2
2 Corinthians 13:14
Deuteronomy 6:4
John 14:10
John 20:28
1 John 2:22-24
Matthew 1:23-25
Colossians 2:9
Acts 17:29
Romans 1:20
Isaiah 7:14
Hebrews 1:8
Isaiah 44:6
Isaiah 43:11
1 John 5:7-8
Genesis 1:26
Genesis 11:6-7
John 10:30
John 8:19
Philippians 2:5-8
2 Corinthians 5:19
John 1:3
Matthew 28:19
1 Peter 1:2
2 Corinthians 13:14
Deuteronomy 6:4
John 14:10
John 20:28
1 John 2:22-24
Matthew 1:23-25
Colossians 2:9
Acts 17:29
Romans 1:20
Isaiah 7:14
Hebrews 1:8
Isaiah 44:6
Here are some verses to get you started. God bless.
Colossians 2:9
Acts 17:29
Romans 1:20
John 1:1
1 John 5:7-8
Genesis 1:26
Genesis 11:6-7
John 10:30
John 8:19
Philippians 2:5-8
2 Corinthians 5:19
John 1:3
Matthew 28:19
1 Peter 1:2
2 Corinthians 13:14
Deuteronomy 6:4
John 14:10
John 20:28
1 John 2:22-24
Isaiah 7:14
Matthew 1:23-25
Hebrews 1:8
Isaiah 44:6
David also gives a reason to praise the Lord: He is holy. He is completely separate from sin. When the Lord appeared to Moses in a burning bush and commissioned him to demand that Pharaoh release the Hebrews from captivity, He told Moses to remove his sandals because he was standing on holy ground ( Exodus 3:5). The ground was holy only because God was present there. Isaiah received a revelation of the Lord's holiness in the temple. He heard the seraphim pronounce, "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts" ( Isaiah 6:3). Praising the Lord for His gracious gifts to us is appropriate, but it is also appropriate to praise Him because He is holy.
Psalm 103:1-5 records David commanding his entire inner being to praise the Lord and to remember all the Lord's benefits. He credits the Lord with forgiveness of sin and healing of diseases. He says the Lord redeems the believer's life from the realm of the dead and bestows on him steadfast love, mercy, satisfaction, and renewal.
Psalm 103 praises God for what He has done. This includes celebration of His personal influence, as well as the way God has blessed the nation of Israel. David encourages praises from himself, from the people in general, and even from the angels and hosts of heaven.
Amen. I agree with much that you have stated here in this thread.
I believe that we should all agree, that the Bible is God's Word, and I believe we are to read the words literally. Another good reason to read the bible in a literal manner is because Jesus Christ took it literally. From time to time, Jesus quotes directly from the OT. When Jesus was tempted by Satan in Luke 4, he answered using quotes from the OT., God's commands in Deuteronomy 6:13, 8:3, are literal, and Jesus used them in this manner.
So, if Jesus shows us in scripture that He took the bible literally, I believe we should too!
God Bless.