(Verse 2) "May God our Father and Christ Jesus our Lord ..." Here Paul is making the statement that we have always made, that Jesus is one member of the Godhead (God), and the Father and the Holy Spirit are the others two. That is, God is 3 persons, all personalities of the same God.
This means that Jesus in not a lesser God, as many are now saying.
This concept was first put forth by Dr. Arius of Egypt in the early 300's AD, and later condemned by conservative Christians in 325. It's dominant thought is, God the Father is separate from the lesser Jesus. The Father, thus, is seen as the only true God.
Arianism resurfaced in the 16th century after the Protestant revolt. It made its way to England, with Sr. Isaac Newton was one of its major proponents. Groups like the Jehovah's Witnesses are totally Ariam. They not only believe that Jesus did not always exist as a person, but believe also that the Holy Spirit is not a person too.
But the sad fact is that conservative groups like the Baptist and mainstream Penecostals have similiar beliefs. They say that Jesus is only the Son of God. This makes him inferior to God.
They say it like this, "Jesus is not God, He is God's Son."
This is the essence of what they believe about Jesus: He only reveals what God is like, but he is not God himself. I have talked to many Baptist, and they all express this point of view.
Other see Jesus as an emanation, something that came out of God like a ghost image. Others say that God spoke Jesus into existence, meaning that he did not exist before.
The problem seem to be in their belief about the Father being the God of the Old Testament. Where Jesus was at this time they do not seem to know. Some say he was in the "bosom" of the Father. What this means to them is vague at best. Others take this to mean that he is only God's Word manifested as a man.
The point is, all of this makes Jesus something less than "God our Savior." ( 1 Timothy 2:3)
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This means that Jesus in not a lesser God, as many are now saying.
This concept was first put forth by Dr. Arius of Egypt in the early 300's AD, and later condemned by conservative Christians in 325. It's dominant thought is, God the Father is separate from the lesser Jesus. The Father, thus, is seen as the only true God.
Arianism resurfaced in the 16th century after the Protestant revolt. It made its way to England, with Sr. Isaac Newton was one of its major proponents. Groups like the Jehovah's Witnesses are totally Ariam. They not only believe that Jesus did not always exist as a person, but believe also that the Holy Spirit is not a person too.
But the sad fact is that conservative groups like the Baptist and mainstream Penecostals have similiar beliefs. They say that Jesus is only the Son of God. This makes him inferior to God.
They say it like this, "Jesus is not God, He is God's Son."
This is the essence of what they believe about Jesus: He only reveals what God is like, but he is not God himself. I have talked to many Baptist, and they all express this point of view.
Other see Jesus as an emanation, something that came out of God like a ghost image. Others say that God spoke Jesus into existence, meaning that he did not exist before.
The problem seem to be in their belief about the Father being the God of the Old Testament. Where Jesus was at this time they do not seem to know. Some say he was in the "bosom" of the Father. What this means to them is vague at best. Others take this to mean that he is only God's Word manifested as a man.
The point is, all of this makes Jesus something less than "God our Savior." ( 1 Timothy 2:3)
Let God's word be true!
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