The Nugget:
Joh 5:23 That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.
My Comment:
We must know the Bible accurately ourselves so that we can answer correctly the questions others sincerely ask of us (1 Peter 3:15). Because very few Christians know their Bible accurately many in the world are not being reached with the true gospel message as it is revealed and taught in the Bible. Some simply have never read the Bible seriously for themselves. Others have swallowed, “hook, line, and sinker,” what others have taught them by way of a theological or doctrinal system, supposing that that system represents Bible truth accurately. Trust me, no popular system (like Calvinism, Arminianism, or any other “ism”) accurately represents the truth of the Bible. On this site I attempt to show you how to do Real Bible Study. I have shared with you in the October, 2010 Archives linked immediately to the right on this page the 24 Rules of Bible Interpretation that MUST be followed in order to understand and interpret the Bible correctly. Disregard these rules at your eternal peril!
Immediately below I share an example of how to use the rule of necessary inference to answer a sincere question posed to me this evening by a Muslim on the “Christianity and Islam Friendly Debate” Facebook site.
The Muslim Challenge:
Jerome smith
Jesus never himself said that
I AM GOD or WORSHIP ME.
I dont understand what is wrong with you people.
Jesus never claimed to be God but you people do.
He said I myself can do nothing as i hear i say.
You say he can do every thing .
You Christians believe him to be God as he was born miraculously without any father so adam (who is also called son of God in bible)did neither had father nor mother.
Jesus said
There is only one God when speaking to israel
HEAR O ISRAEL YOUR LORD OUR GOD IS ONE.
So with due respect i want to ask you people do you understand english you english man.
The messenger is telling you that God is one but you are believing in trinity.
My Response:
Farhan Ahmed, I appreciate the sincerity of your claim. But your claim involves a very interesting fallacy. The fallacy is that you are specifying the exact wording you would accept as proving the case I support when you and I both know that the wording you propose is not to be found in the Bible.
That is a diversion from the truth, not a refutation of the truth.
But let us consider whether the facts you deny would be supportable using your claim about what Jesus himself never said. I think it can be shown BY NECESSARY INFERENCE that Jesus Christ DID make such a claim and was so understood to have done so by both his friends and his enemies.
You have claimed that Jesus DID NOT claim what I claim he did claim. You said, “Jesus never himself said that I AM GOD or WORSHIP ME.”
(1) Did Jesus claim to be God?
In Mark 2:5, Jesus boldly stated to the sick man, “Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.”
It was well understood at the time of Jesus that only God can forgive sin. This understanding is reflected in the thoughts of the scribes who were sitting there and saw this happen. They reasoned in their hearts, “Why does this man thus speak blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God only?” (Mark 2:7)
Jesus, therefore, when he said “thy sins be forgiven thee,” proclaimed His deity. This means that Jesus claimed to be God.
(2) Did Jesus claim that worship was due him?
In John 5:23 Jesus said, “That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.”
The Father, of course, is God.
Jesus commanded that all men should honor the Son in the same way that they honor God the Father.
No one would disagree that we ought to worship God the Father.
To pay the same honor to Jesus Christ, we must worship Him in the same manner that we worship God the Father.
Jesus warned, “He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.”
Our eternal life strictly depends, Jesus said, upon both hearing and obeying His Word, and believing on Him (GOD) who sent Him (Jesus),
Joh 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
I trust my explanation clarifies this matter for you. I have not given my own opinion. I have given as my supporting evidence the very words of Jesus Christ Himself and the words as given in the Bible itself.
If you need further clarification or have any further questions, please let me know.
Thank you for raising such a good question for discussion.
What comes next?
I make no claims of expertise about Islam or the Koran. My missionary friend of many years, Mr. Vijay Chandra, served in the Fiji Islands working among Muslims and Hindus. English is his second language, but he speaks and writes very well. He has shared with me several of his articles about Islam, the Koran, and the Bible. I have been blessed to be able to help him clarify and correct his written English. In turn, he has given me his permission for me to post his articles here. He also has an article published in the Apologetics Journal less than a decade ago. I have that journal in my Logos Bible Software collection of scholarly journals (involving thousands of volumes!). So, Lord willing, I will see if I can post that article too in the very near future. I am looking forward to the privilege all of us who read here will now have to experience the blessing of learning from this dear brother in Christ. Mr. Chandra mentioned to me that he was probably the only Christian serving in the Fiji Islands who owned a copy of my book, The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
Jesus is not before God,,an i dont need to worship Jesus or pray to Jesus to get to God,,,it doesnt make sense,,that is a system used by America in dealings pertaining to business,,ex: I must go through the supervisor before I can get to the boss..Truthfully the Bible is not perfectly written an there are many contradictions,,,so people trying to interpret the Bible are already a mistake,,,i could never believe the son is greater than the father or equal to the father,,an just because the father gives the son some authority doesn’t make him God,,,yes my name is Cassim an i died for 2 minutes an ive seen something im trying to understand,,,but telling people Jesus is God is not correct,,,bless the blessed.
Dear Cassim,
Thank you for visiting this Real Bible Study site. Thank you for leaving a very interesting comment.
What you have written does not agree with what Jesus Christ Himself said.
You said, “I don’t need to worship Jesus or pray to Jesus to get to God.”
But Jesus said,
John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
When Jesus said “no man cometh unto the Father, but by me,” this surely means that Jesus is the only true way to God.
That is not my opinion. That is what Jesus said. I believe what Jesus said. I hope you will learn more about what Jesus said by reading the New Testament for yourself. That is what I did. I hope you will come to believe what Jesus said the same way I did.
The Bible contains many errors and was inspired by God but written by man. I agree. There is no hierarchy to get to God. God is God, not Jesus. There are no hoops to hurdle through. Quite frankly, the Bible will one day be reduced to nothing more than a book of mythology. Look around our country. I’d guesstimate 60% or more of church structures resemble the Greek mythological temples of days gone by. Coincidence? I think not. Regardless of what the Bible “says” it’s a matter of interpretation. Many, such as yourself, have been brainwashed into thinking the Bible was written by God and contains no errors. That’s very sad. It shows a weakness in intelligence. Again, it was not written by God. Jesus was a historical figure. And a great teacher according to your Bible. He was a teacher, not a God. That is if he really ever existed. The decline in Americanized Christianity is warranted. When we cherry pick verses to meet our needs, often to judge others who are different from us sickens me and I welcome the complete decline of said religion. My prediction is 50 years from now folks we’ll come to their senses and duly reject Christianity. God didn’t write the Bible, full of more than 50,000 errors that are simply “explained away”. The arrogance of folks like you, so called Christians, and especially after seeing evangelicals swoon after a female grabbing, bankrupt business con man who’s nothing more than a male whore – made me reevaluate religion. In fact I’ve revoked it. Perhaps your God isn’t as strong as you think? Lastly “God” wrote the book of sciences and man wrote the Bible. It’s the book of sciences that man tries to figure out. My faith is in Science. No errors in that book. You can claim all the antiquated scriptures, but rest assured. Your religion is in a well deserved decline.
Dear Frank,
Thank you for posting such an interesting comment and challenge here.
At the moment, I am involved in a major editing project, which is why I did not see your post until just now (March 21, 2022 at 10:08 pm).
I believe I both have met and can further meet the claims in your comment.
It should only be a few more days until I have completed my current editing project.
I look forward to getting back to you here about what you have written.
Hi Jerry – thank you for your post. I love scripture but I cannot say I am Christian since I hold in my heart the idea that God loves all of the human race as his children and loves all of his creation. I have read some other scriptures including parts of the Koran quite a while back (not that I really understood parts of it although it does give one the sense of the unity and omnipresence of God. It fascinated me that it referred to figures in the Christian/Jewish scriptures including Jesus. It makes sense as the peoples who became Muslim when that faith was established were once Christian and left that faith.
Any case, when I was growing up Catholic I was read scripture. It made absolutely no sense to me – my life as a child was very difficult and the Church just added to my troubles. It wasn’t until I read an obscure author named Maurice Nicoll that I cam to embody Christian scripture. He bought to light in me the sense of God being an inward thing and conveyed to me how the faith that Jesus spoke of is a living faith (living waters). The sense I have of Jesus was that he was calling us to ourselves (as in the Parable of the Prodigal Son) and that is an inward journey (the kingdom of God is within). Jesus calls for us to walk on water as he asked of Peter. The many passages about the Pharisees is about the mistake (“sin”) of doing things for external benefit (and thus being hypocritical). I love it. It makes it a heart felt belief. Since seeing things that way I can come to Jesus since he is only in the heart not outside me. I hate using the word worship since, for me, it means a separation between God and myself. To love God is to hold him in my heart and to come home is to return to God as it says in the Parable of the Prodigal Son). When we die we face God – we come out of the body by going inside in the death process. Thank you.
Dear Bill,
I very much appreciate your comment.
I would love to learn how you found my site.
I hope to return and respond more fully to what you have written here when I get a block of time that will permit me to do it careful justice.
In any case, I hope you will return and read more here.
Feel free to post more comments or ask questions anytime.
What we got here is a failure to communicate. J3:14 Jesus is telling Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews, a Pharisee that the Son of Man must be lifted up just as Moses did the fiery serpent in the wilderness, 15: so that all who were bitten and doomed to die, lived. Nicodemus knew of Nehushtan yet replied nothing.
Nehushtan is the bronze serpent Moses lifted up which, 400 years later, was worshipped as a healer and the Son of Ahaz, Hezekiah tore down the bronze serpent because the Israelites burned incense to it. 2 Kings 18:4
Thank you, Jojo, for a good comment here. John 3:14 is an interesting verse that requires the reader or hearer to have at least some understanding of typology. There are many instances of a reference to Bible types in the New Testament, and this is a striking one that points to the necessity of our looking to Jesus who died on the cross for us for our salvation.
I believe the bible is complexed and everyone perceives it differently, we are Human with different thoughts and not our to judge one another what each believes. Myself I believe follow the Holy Spirit God has given us to lead the path Of Good Over Evil Ways ours Hearts know, God is to have all the praise and honor. I Ask God to forgive my sins I speak to not God not Jesus but Love Jesus as God Son Himself came in human form because people would not believe it other wise, so he came himself as man to walk perfectly in Holiness to teach us how he wants us to live in his image best we can and By Jesus God himself died for our sins so we could have life after death with God. So I will continue to follow and wait patiently to hear what God wants through His Holy Spirit within Each and Everyone Of Us. Thank You
The Bible is complexed and we are all Human and perceive The Bible differently. We are not to judge one another. I Myself Follow The Holy Spirit Given to Us All to Follow which leads our way to as God intended and our Hearts know from the Holy Spirit what’s right from wrong and All My Praise Goes To God. I Talk and ask My forgiveness of Sins to God. I do not speak to Jesus. I’m Grateful God sent himself His Son Jesus to save us from sin to have eternal life Thank You
The Bible is complexed but do not judge each other. I talk to God not Jesus and confess my sins to God, I follow the Holy Spirit Given to me from God to follow and do good over evil and I let God lead as I’m patient to wait in all circumstances. I failed before doing it as I thought so God has the control in my life. Thank You
Dear Julie,
I like your comment. Thank you for taking the time to visit my Real Bible Study site and for leaving a comment.
I, too, believe that everyone perceives the Bible differently. No two individuals come to the Bible with the same background, prior knowledge, or experience.
That is why we must be patient with one another when it comes to sharing or discussing our views about the Bible.
None of us have lived long enough to study and learn everything there is to know about the Bible.
Yet the Bible is an understandable Book. We need to study it for ourselves to learn more of its message. We need to do all we can to study it apart from prior doctrinal and theological and denominational commitments.
Again, thank you for posting your comments here.
Dear Julie,
Thank you again for your comment.
A careful deeper study of the Bible reveals that prayer may be made to God the Father or to Jesus His Son or to the Holy Spirit. There are examples of this in the Bible itself.
You stated that “In Mark 2:5, Jesus boldly stated to the sick man, “Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.”
It was well understood at the time of Jesus that only God can forgive sin. This understanding is reflected in the thoughts of the scribes who were sitting there and saw this happen. They reasoned in their hearts, “Why does this man thus speak blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God only?” (Mark 2:7)
Jesus, therefore, when he said “thy sins be forgiven thee,” proclaimed His deity. This means that Jesus claimed to be God.”
*******
When Jesus told the sick man his sins were forgiven, couldn’t he just be telling the man that GOD has forgiven him? It’s a leap to go from telling the man he’s forgiven to assuming that statement must mean Jesus is proclaiming his own divinity.
Dear Cori,
If Jesus by His statement only indicated that God forgave the man’s sins, that would not have moved the scribes and Pharisees sitting or standing in the crowded audience to think within themselves that what Jesus stated was blasphemy.
The scribes and Pharisees believed that only God could forgive sin.
As they heard it (and they were there when this all happened), they believed Jesus committed blasphemy for claiming the man’s sins were forgiven on His own authority.
The Jews and the scribes and Pharisees also believed that only God could heal the kind of sickness the man had.
Jesus confirmed His authority to do so by healing the man, who before their own eyes, responded to the directive Jesus gave him to take up his bed and walk, which he immediately did.
Certainly, this is clear evidence of the divinity or deity of Christ.
Dear Jerry, this is a topic I have struggled with for some time now as it is so difficult to understand the potential for there being one “who” but three “what’s” One God but three persons that reflect God in total.
The scripture that gives me the most pause is Corinthians 15:27. This as you know indicates the Son will put himself under God’s authority, so that God, who gave the Son authority over all things, will be utterly supreme over everything everywhere.
This seems to imply that God is not already utterly supreme over all things everywhere, that God the Father has final authority over Jesus the Son. While I understand that an equal can have authority over someone (your boss is equal to you as a human but not equal to you as an employee and so has authority over you) entails Jesus surrendering all that the Father has given him so that he Father can be the singular supreme. Does this mean that Jesus the Son ceases to exist or have a purpose after he surrenders himself to the Father? It can’t right? Or that Jesus carries on being God the Son with a different role than the Father but still remains God the Father?
At the same time, I know that in Hebrews 1:8 the Father says of the Son:
“Your throne, O God, is forever and ever.” and “You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning, and the heavens are the work of your hands”
This is God the Father calling the Son “O God” and “You Lord” Why would God the Father call Jesus the Son God, and Lord? This seems to only make sense if Jesus is one with god the “Who” but Jesus the “what”. Or Christianity is polytheistic. 🙂
If I couple this with Colossians 1:16 “For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions of rulers or authorities all things were created through him and for him.”
So that says BY him, THROUGH him, and FOR him. That can only seem to be true if Jesus is also God. Now, there are other scriptures that only say things were created “through” Jesus. Only here does it state “by” Jesus.
This is why this topic is so difficult as Jesus so often illustrates a very clear distinction between himself and the Father. But does that distinction mean they are not one “who”?
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Dear Carl,
You have asked good questions about what seems to be a difficult passage in 1 Corinthians 15:27 and context.
This passage is largely misunderstood.
Paul wrote it that way on purpose.
He intentionally used a literary technique some have correctly called “intentional obscurity.”
This was done (this technique is used in several ways and places in the New Testament) so that should the writing fall into the hands of those hostile to the faith, they would not understand what was written. The intended audience of these New Testament texts, who knew their Bible well, would readily grasp what was actually meant.
Some years ago I argued and debated this passage against others who clearly misunderstood it. Later, in a different setting, one of the chief opponents of what I taught said in a letter to me that he realized I was correct and that he and the others arguing against me were wrong.
I have placed a note in The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge at 1 Corinthians 15:24 which hopefully gives an explanation that clarifies the whole passage.
If you don’t have access to this note, let me know, and I will share it on my site if it is not already there.
In a short and simple sentence, Paul is stating that “when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God” (1 Corinthians 15:24), Jesus is not giving up his own kingdom but the conquered kingdoms of this world.
The whole of Scripture emphatically teaches that our Lord Jesus Christ will reign upon this earth not for 1000 years but forever.
The relationships within the Trinity have always existed and have never and will never change. Jesus as the eternal Son of the Father has always been voluntarily subordinate to the Father, and the relationship of the Holy Spirit to the Son and the Father has always been the same.
I have cited Daniel Waterland in the NTSK and UCRT at 1 Corinthians 15:28 regarding the subordination of the Son to the Father. Again, if you do not have access to these notes, let me know and I can share them on this site if I have not already posted them here before. You can use the new “search” feature to check by inserting the Scripture reference into the search box.
Notice that 1 Corinthians 15:27 alludes to Psalm 8:6.
If I have not sufficiently answered your concerns, feel free to ask more questions here.
It is clelar..Jesus claimed in Revelations 1:17-18 which refer back to Isaiah 44:6..He claimed divinity the beginning and the end, the alpha and the Omega…And many other verses of the “I am The..” verses in the book of John.
Isaiah 44:6 “This is what the Lord says—
Israel’s King and Redeemer, the Lord Almighty:
I am the first and I am the last;
apart from me there is no God.
Revelations 1:17-18
17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. 18 I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.
I agree with your very good comment. Thank you for reading and posting here. Feel free to post any further comments or questions.
The letter J didn’t exist until 1524 the Jesuits who taught of acceptance of Jesus was founded in 1540 so who is Jesus Constantine re wrote the Bible 400Ad in the council of Nicea. There were 3 councils of Nicea where this took place. All 3 times where we’ll after the Bible was written and these events of the Bible allegedly took place. So it’s not believable or acceptable to worship Jesus who looks exactly like Ceasare Borgia the Bible in the revelations states not to take out or add to the Bible. This took place in the story of Jesus. This is why it say not to worship names or images because time and changes of leaders who can distort and change the truth would mislead future generations. This is exactly what white people did. So it saying to worship Jesus or him saying these things in the Bible is not legitimate grounds to worship him
Thank you for leaving a comment here. You raise many interesting issues in your comment.
I have answered most, if not all, of the issues you mention in posts you are welcome to read under the Apologetics section where I have previously answered many of these issues under that category.
Constantine had nothing to do with the content of our present Bible. Neither have the Jesuits any connection with what the Bible says about Jesus. The history of the letter “J” has nothing to do with the content of the Bible. There are many names in the Bible which in our English translations represent the Hebrew and Greek names using the letter “J.” There are some religious groups and cults which make a big issue about how to properly pronounce the name of God. Some of those groups and cults probably deserve to be labeled for what they are–“Name Cults.”
I invite you to read the Bible for yourself. Here is how I suggest you read the Bible to get the most out of what it teaches:
Begin reading the New Testament first. Read it long enough each day (twenty minutes or more total, not necessarily all at once, each day) and often enough each week (at least four days a week) on a continuing basis to see and experience its benefits in your life.
I did that beginning in 1953, and it certainly has helped me. That is now 70 years ago, so I have been reading and studying the Bible seriously for a long time. Modern research discussed by Pugh Research and the Barna Group has recently confirmed the value of the kind and amount of Bible reading that will change anyone’s life for the better.
5:109 (Remember) the Day Allah will gather the messengers, and say: ‘What response were you given?’ They will say: We have no knowledge, verily You are the All-Knowing of the Unseen’.
5:110 (Remember) when Allah said: ‘O’ Jesus, son of Mary! Remember My blessing on you and on your mother, when I strengthened you with the Holy Spirit, you spoke to the people (both) in the cradle (through miracle) and in adulthood (through revelation) and when I taught you the Book and the Wisdom and the Torah and the Evangel, and when you did make of clay a thing like the shape of a bird, by My leave and then did breathe into it and it became a bird, by My leave; and you did heal the blind and the leprous, by My leave, and you did raise the dead (from their graves), by My leave and (remember) when I withheld the Children of Israel from you when you brought them manifest proofs, but those who disbelieved among them said:’This is nothing but clear magic’.
5:111 And (remember) when I revealed unto the disciples: ‘Believe in Me and in My Messenger,’ they said: ‘We believe, and bear You witness that we are Muslims (who submit ourselves) ‘.
5:116 And when Allah says: ‘ O’ Jesus son of Mary! did you say to the people: ‘Take me and my mother for two gods besides Allah?’ He (Jesus) says: ‘Glory be to You! It was not mine to utter what I had no right to (say). Had I said it, then You would have known it. You know whatever is in my self and I do not know what is in Your Self. Verily You are the Knower of all the unseen’.
5:117 I did not say to them (anything) except what you commanded me with; (saying): ‘That worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord.’ And I was a witness to them so long as I was among them. But when You took me up, You were the Watcher over them, and You are witness to all things.
5:118 If You punish them, then surely they are Your servants; and if You forgive them, then You are indeed the Mighty, the Wise.
5:119 Allah said: ‘This is the day when shall benefit the truthful ones their truth. For them there are gardens beneath which rivers flow wherein shall they abide forever. Allah is well-pleased with them and they are well-pleased with Him. This is the great success.
5:120 To Allah belongs the sovereignty of the heavens and the earth and whatever is in them, and He is All-Powerful over all things.
Honor and worship aren’t the same thing, and when Jesus said your sins are forgiven, it was because he was demonstrating how God does his work by the Spirit through man. He also told us we would have the same power of the Holy Spirit, and we would do even greater things than he did. He wasn’t claiming to be God we need to worship, he was showing us what it looks like when God lives in us. You really stretch your arguments and bend the meanings of scripture. When we honor Christ, we live in the freedom of Spirit.
Thank you, Bilai, for carefully sharing Koranic texts that support the Islamic viewpoint on the subject of my post.
I welcome your input, and invite further discussion.
Thank you for visiting and leaving a comment on my Real Bible Study site.
I invite you to “follow” this site, and encourage you to read more of what I have posted here.
Thank you, Ellie, for posting a comment here.
I suggest that the Jewish scribes who were present when Jesus declared “Son, thy sins be forgiven thee” (Mark 2:5) were certainly correct when they said within themselves, “Who can forgive sins but God only?”
Clearly in context, Jesus demonstrated His Deity in this account in the Gospel of Mark.
I thank you Ellie for posting a comment.
As I was reading all the posts I was thinking the same thing honor and worship are not the same. I honor my mother but I don’t worship her.
I used to believe that Jesus was God because that’s what I was taught.
Then I studied the Bible and other religious scripture with and without help from Christian leaders.
I now do not believe that Jesus is God. I believe he’s the son of God. I believe that God sent him to the people of that time to be an example of how to live. Just as he has sent Muhammad to the Muslims.
Jesus the Supreme example of what God represents. He lived a completely holy life. He never broke Jewish law. He loved everyone and did not turn away from teaching others who believe differently. He taught us to consider our fellow man. Well, there are many teachings I won’t go into all of them.
I believe that is what Jesus was great prophet and a teacher, who better to believe these teachings then the son of God?
The Bible is not infallible. As mentioned before it was inspired by God but written by men. Men are fallible. When people write things they can’t help but to put their own opinion in what they write. Even the four gospels contradict each other.
Also, men canonized the Bible we used today, all the scriptures aren’t in it, they chose which scriptures to canonize.
The Bible has been misinterpreted, twisted around and used to gain wealth, power, or to persecute people.
I am very passionate in my beliefs. I’m sure most people are. That’s why people will twist it to try to prove their opinion or try to disprove others opinions.
I think the Bible is a personal thing. We all have been through different situations. So we read/ interpret the Bible in different ways. As it pertains to us personally. When you read it, do you not think to yourself, “What is God trying to teach me?” We will take away from it what God is revealing to us.
When we believe in God the Holy Spirit is given to us, lives in us. I think of the Holy Spirit as a conscience reminding us to live a righteous life. Did you ever get that nagging feeling that you shouldn’t do something? That it feels wrong? That’s the Holy Spirit, that is God working in you and through you.
I believe in the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. I do not believe they are one thing. That doesn’t make any sense to me. When you have a child that child is not the same as you, but a piece of you.
Jesus, and other Prophets were sent as teachers. The Holy Spirit was sent to guide us. God is the creator. Only he is to be worshiped.
And hey, did everyone forget Exd. 20: 3? “You shall have no other gods before me”
Bless you all for sharing your opinions and beliefs. I hope we can all benefit from it. God be with you!
Dear Lisa,
Thank you for posting such a gracious comment here.
On some topics Bible readers do not always agree just what the Bible teaches.
There are some very good and solid reasons why we should believe in the Deity of Christ.
Establishing the doctrine of the Deity of Christ, it is possible to combine that truth with the fact that the Bible teaches that the Holy Spirit is God (Acts 5:3, 4). That the Father is God I suspect no one would dispute. These things being the case, the Bible furnishes adequate evidence to believe in the doctrine of the Trinity.
Thank you for posting your comment here. Always feel free to post further comments should you wish.
You and many others continue to reference and quote Revelations, when we all know Revelations was merely based on Dreams by John. These were not actual quotes of Jesus. No one heard Jesus ever say any of these things. It’s only the dreams of John and other quotes that only John heard that reference anything remotely close to Jesus claiming divinity.
Dear Raimos,
The book of Revelation is a special kind of literature and is the only full book of this kind in the New Testament.
Revelation chapters 2 and 3 contain letters to the seven churches. These were seven actual churches in John’s day. Therefore the book of Revelation was a circular letter, meant to be read aloud in each of those seven churches.
The fact that the book of Revelation contains visions does not diminish its witness to the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Jesus never himself said that “I AM GOD or WORSHIP ME,” In a litary word,Jesus did not say that.But Jesus in many passages of the New Testament refered to Him as equally with the Father.He said loud and clear that He is God in His teachings.One must take notice that Jesus was living with Jews who believed that God the Fater is their Only God. So to Jesus will say to them that He is God they would kill Him at the spot.Jesus tried to explain to them in many ways that He was God. He made many miracles, He did forgive sins that only God can do. He predicted things to come.He was worshiped many times.He refered to what the prophets wrote about Him.Jesus came to this world to die for our sins.Jesus main purpose was to save all those who will believe that He is God and to truly obey Him. To God Be The Glory.
Thank you, Charlie, for your good comment. I believe you are correct. The Deity of Christ and the Trinity are taught indirectly but can surely be seen to be true when we read the Bible with care and use the principle of necessary inference. The truth is there in the Bible for those who are willing to see and receive it.
Jerry