jimscott
Tropical Fish Enthusiast
I've been a Christian since 10/6/76 and have learned a lot since then. I am STILL learning new things as well as having head knowledge sink into my heart. In the past few months three concepts have gone from my head to my heart:
1) Satan, from the beginning of the Gospels, was doing everything in his arsenal to undermine God. He tried to tempt Jesus to choose the power, pride, and bodily needs. He tried to have his demons proclaim His identity. He tried to turn His miracles into circus acts. He tried to make Him an earthly king. He tried to kill Him as a newborn. He tried to get His disciples confused about His mission. He tried to keep Him from the cross. Jesus would have none of that nonsense.
2)The phrases, actions, and metaphors that Jesus used have lost their meaning to the common reader of today and thus wrong conclusions have been drawn about what Jesus claimed about Himself. Jesus referred to Himself as Son Of Man and has been called Son Of God. He called Himself I Am. He healed people and forgave sins. Today's reader misses the point. When the Jewish leaders picked up stones to kill him because of blasphemy - they understood that Jesus was claiming to be God and doing the things that only God had the power and authority to do. Jesus, in more than one place, claimed to be GOD!! And they knew it. They just couldn't believe that He could be. All throughout the gospels Jesus, in one form or another, was claiming to be God and do what only God could do. He wasn't claiming to be "a God" or "a god." He was claiming to BE THE GOD.
3) He was also claiming to be God in human flesh. God limited himself by being in a human body, with human emotions, with human limitations. A lot of people are uncomfortable with this concept and have struggled to understand how or why Jesus, if God, would say things like, "My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?" Or, why Jesus would say that the Son of Man doesn't know the day or hour of certain events. Or why He would seek lonely places out to pray to His Father. Many Christians find it difficult to fathom. But God HAS the capacity to limit Himself to being fully human as well being fully God. Just because humans find it weird, doesn't mean it isn't truth or doesn't sound possible or logical. WE can't do that - but He can - and did.
1) Satan, from the beginning of the Gospels, was doing everything in his arsenal to undermine God. He tried to tempt Jesus to choose the power, pride, and bodily needs. He tried to have his demons proclaim His identity. He tried to turn His miracles into circus acts. He tried to make Him an earthly king. He tried to kill Him as a newborn. He tried to get His disciples confused about His mission. He tried to keep Him from the cross. Jesus would have none of that nonsense.
2)The phrases, actions, and metaphors that Jesus used have lost their meaning to the common reader of today and thus wrong conclusions have been drawn about what Jesus claimed about Himself. Jesus referred to Himself as Son Of Man and has been called Son Of God. He called Himself I Am. He healed people and forgave sins. Today's reader misses the point. When the Jewish leaders picked up stones to kill him because of blasphemy - they understood that Jesus was claiming to be God and doing the things that only God had the power and authority to do. Jesus, in more than one place, claimed to be GOD!! And they knew it. They just couldn't believe that He could be. All throughout the gospels Jesus, in one form or another, was claiming to be God and do what only God could do. He wasn't claiming to be "a God" or "a god." He was claiming to BE THE GOD.
3) He was also claiming to be God in human flesh. God limited himself by being in a human body, with human emotions, with human limitations. A lot of people are uncomfortable with this concept and have struggled to understand how or why Jesus, if God, would say things like, "My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?" Or, why Jesus would say that the Son of Man doesn't know the day or hour of certain events. Or why He would seek lonely places out to pray to His Father. Many Christians find it difficult to fathom. But God HAS the capacity to limit Himself to being fully human as well being fully God. Just because humans find it weird, doesn't mean it isn't truth or doesn't sound possible or logical. WE can't do that - but He can - and did.