God according to Jesus

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So, who is Jesus, in His own words?

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Some modern Protestant theology is based on Catholic dogma, not the Word of God.

This is because some doctrine is so simple, and easy to understand, that man has made it complicated, with their own reasoning.

They find one verse, ignore others, and formulate a doctrine.

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Putting ALL other scriptures aside, the church has focused on this one passage to define who is God and who is Jesus:

John 1

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

2 The same was in the beginning with God.

3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

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Let us take a closer look.

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From the above passage, it is concluded that Jesus (the Word) is God, even though twice it says the Word was WITH God.

Why doesn’t it say the Word was with itself?

Why didn’t the passage just say, the Father and Jesus were BOTH GOD? And why did it omit the Holy Spirit? Why does it not mention the Father?

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Further down, in the same chapter, it says:

18 No man hath seen God at any time, the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.

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In the above passage, it is clear that only the SON has seen GOD. The Son’s normal place is in the bosom of the Father.

They are separately described, and the Son is with God, and not called God himself.

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So, back to verses 1-4

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Who is the Word?

Jesus says in John 12:49

For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak.

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So the Word starts FIRST with the Father, and Jesus just REPEATS what he is told.

The Father is the origin of the Word, and Jesus carries the Word to us.

So there is a Word # 1, and a Word # 2.

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Back to John 1

Maybe it should read like this:

1 In the beginning was the Word (Father), and the Word (the Son Jesus) was with God, and the Word (Father) was God.

2 The same (Jesus) was in the beginning with God (Father).

3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

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Who does Jesus say is God?

17 These words spoke Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee:

2 As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.

3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

4 I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which you gave me to do.

5 And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.

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Jesus is stating in the above passage that he had the glory of God before the creation of the world, meaning he was WITH God in the beginning, and around when the world was created.

This is not a human- God relationship. He is indicating that his relationship with the Father is a long standing spiritual one from “everlasting.”

He is stating he is God’s REAL Son. This gives him a divine nature, not a human nature.

He is stating here that ONLY the Father is God.

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Also here in John 20:

17 Jesus said unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.

Here, Jesus is not saying that he is God, like his Father is God, but only the Father is God.

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How does Jesus relate to God?

John 17, as Jesus prays for his disciples:

That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. V 21

3 notes from this passage:

1. God is his Father

2. They are ONE, in unity,

3. This oneness does not mean “sameness” but united, as the believers can share in this oneness.

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In Judaism, there is the Shema:

Hear, Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is One. (Deut 6:4)

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Repeated in Exodus 20:

20 And God spoke all these words, saying:

2 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

3 “You shall have no other gods before Me.

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As a devout Jew, Jesus could not, or would not, violate the Shema.

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Jesus claims that the Father is God, and that he is the divine Son of the Father. He is also saying there is only ONE GOD, who is the Father.

Jesus also said,

“the Father is greater than I” (John 14:28)

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He would never claim to be another God, or take glory away from the Father, as His God.

However, as God’s divine Son, he is entitled to that glory.

There is one passage, where it refers to Jesus being “equal with God,” but look at the context:

“For this cause therefore the Jews were seeking all the more to kill Him, because He not only was breaking the Sabbath, but also was calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God,” (John 5:18, NASB).

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So, to the Jews, Jesus calling God his own Father was making him equal with God. This is not the same as calling himself GOD.

They did not understand the Son ship concept.

Also….

Jesus died for our sins, so that we could have the same relationship with the Father that He had.

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Final Thoughts

For many, even questioning the “Jesus is God” concept is heresy.

Jesus is still the Son of God, Savior, and Messiah, now, and to come again.

Jesus is divine, as his Father God is divine.

Just like you are human,  as your own earthly father is human.

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I hope we can get past this knee jerk reaction, and discuss the real points made here.

After all, we want the Truth, not unquestioned, spoon fed doctrine.

This could be an important witnessing point for believers, as they share the gospel.

They need to be expert in adequately answering challenges as they preach, giving convincing replies.

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See also:

Jesus and His relationship with the Father God

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Jesus as Son of God

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