How can Jesus Christ be the One True Almighty God?

[ComeHome2Rome]

How could Jesus " I am God" just like that? Sounds like a mad man! People would have said he’s simply crazy and have nothing to do with him.

MJ

I don’t know. I mean if the most important thing in life is to know & worship the correct God and God came all the way down from heaven to show us the way, you’d think that He’d be very clear on Who He is & Who we are to worship. He showed us by His actions that He worshipped God (not Himself) through prayer & prostration and He taught us to pray to God, not to Jesus-Himself. - these are the types of things I’m hearing from sincere people who have researched the Bible (& some also Church History) & then left behind the dogma that Jesus is God.

 

[MartinJordan]

I don’t know. I mean if the most important thing in life is to know & worship the correct God and God came all the way down from heaven to show us the way, you’d think that He’d be very clear on Who He is & Who we are to worship. He showed us by His actions that He worshipped God (not Himself) through prayer & prostration and He taught us to pray to God, not to Jesus-Himself. - these are the types of things I’m hearing from sincere people who have researched the Bible (& some also Church History) & then left behind the dogma that Jesus is God.

Ok Brother in Christ. Why not look at Luke 2: 44-50 (NIV)

*44 He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.”

45 Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. 46 He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49** I am going to send you what my Father has promised**; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”

50 When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. 51 While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven. 52 Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. 53 And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God.
*

A) Repentance for forgiveness of Sins (only God can forgive).
B) Send what the Father had promised - which is the Holy Spirit
C) and Worship which is due to God Only.

Thus Jesus is God.

MJ

 

[Isaiah45_9]

Why does Jesus has to say it in a way that they want it to be?

Who is Jesus referring to as the Father throughout the Gospel?

How about in Matthew 3:16 And when Jesus was baptized, he went up immediately from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and alighting on him; 17 and lo, a voice from heaven, saying, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

Who else amongst men has been conceived by the Holy Spirit?

Who else has resurrected from the dead?

And these things were witnessed by the Apostles, whom the Catholic and Orthodox Churches stand today as a direct testimony of their witness.

 

[josh987654321]

Hi Josh, thank you, but the people I’m trying to answer don’t really care about whether or not Jesus is the Son of God, but their issue is that Jesus is Not God Himself. Showing that He was/is the Son of God doesn’t do anything to prove He is God. thank you though.

It was the fact that as the Son of God, that made him equal with God.

It is the below passage you should refer them to, in which he clearly states the he is one with God and God is one with him, that he is God in the flesh and when St. Thomas witnessed the resurrected Jesus he said “You are my Lord and my God.”

**John 14:8-11

8 Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.”

9 Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. 11 Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves**.

**John 20:27-29

27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”

28 Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”

29 Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.**”

God Bless

Thank you for reading
Josh

 

[fbl9]

The people I’ve spoken to have a comeback for that, I hope I get it right - basically they say:

1. Jesus never claimed to be the Son of God, He only said He was the Son of Man
2. King David & many other Israelists were referred to as Sons of God & we all know they’re not claiming to be (& no one is believing that they are) equal to God

Their points are true, so what’s our comeback for their comeback?

Then Christ is a false prophet because He allowed another man to worship Him.

 

[MartinJordan]

Then Christ is a false prophet because He allowed another man to worship Him.

Quite right. Luke 24:52- Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy.

They understood by the time he was ascending into Heaven. And we should not be doubting. Have Faith! :harp:

MJ

 

[pacloc]

Please read through my posts comehome2rome and comment. You even mentioned one of the misconceptions of the trinity that I stated. No one says that Jesus is the same as God the father, but that he is co equal and co eternal.

Please read ccc 232-260. 245 states what I’ve tried to say about the father being the source and origin of the whole divinity.

 

[jericho777]

John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
The JW’s add an “a” to say a god. That is not in the original text.

 

[WitnessSpouse]

This is the question I’ve been hearing so much lately: How can Jesus possibly be the One True God?

This is coming from their (Jehovah’s Witnesses, Remenant Fellowship members, Pentacostals & Muslims) point of view that:

1.God is All-Knowing yet Jesus “learned” and also specifically admitted to Not Knowing things, like when the end of the world would be

Philippians 2:6-11
Have among yourselves the same attitude that is also yours in Christ Jesus,*
6 Who, though he was in the form of God,
did not regard equality with God something to be grasped.
7 Rather, he emptied himself,
taking the form of a slave,
coming in human likeness;
and found human in appearance,
8 he humbled himself,
becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross.*
9 Because of this, God greatly exalted him
and bestowed on him the name
that is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus
every knee should bend,
of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue confess that
Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

The answer is that it was the plan that he should empty himself, so that the experience of being human was beyond question. The argument in the early Church was not that Jesus was fully God, but rather it was his humanity that was questioned and whether or not God could truly suffer.

This is one of the places where the JW Bible will not replace Lord with Jehovah. If they followed their argument for replacing it elsewhere in the Greek Scriptures it would read "and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Jehovah, to the glory of God the Father.

Ask why Paul felt a need here to refer to Jehovah as “God the Father”? It is because Paul knew that there was a delineation!!

Pax

 

[WitnessSpouse]

10 that at the name of Jesus
every knee should bend,
of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue confess that
Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

I might also add that this verse DOES NOT describe ‘obeisance’ as argued by the Witnesses, rather the WORSHIP described by the Angel in Rev 19:10

 

[Kc906]

I don’t know. I mean if the most important thing in life is to know & worship the correct God and God came all the way down from heaven to show us the way, you’d think that He’d be very clear on Who He is & Who we are to worship. He showed us by His actions that He worshipped God (not Himself) through prayer & prostration and He taught us to pray to God, not to Jesus-Himself. - these are the types of things I’m hearing from sincere people who have researched the Bible (& some also Church History) & then left behind the dogma that Jesus is God.

The first part of being able to know and defend the true nature of Almighty God is to understand what it means to be a triune God, to exist in a Trinity. You say that Jesus worshipped God (the Father) and not himself, well of course he did, and that does not contradict the Trinity. God exists in 3 distinct persons, who had no beginning, who are all powerful, and all knowing “persons.” These 3 distinct “persons” share the same uncreated nature, the Father is not the Son/Holy Spirit, the Son is not the Father/Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit is not the Father or the Son; but each is God.

Jesus prayed to God the Father in the Heavens, and because he was and is human, it was right to do so. Does that make it wrong for a dying Stephen to call out directly to Jesus (Acts 7:59,) which can only be described as an act of prayer immediately before his death? Jesus called out to his God (as a man) right before his death (Luke 23:46,) likewise Stephen called out to his God right before his death as well and prays for the same thing, “receive my spirit,” please welcome me into your kingdom!

2 Corinthians 12:7-10, Paul is clearly praying directly to Jesus 3 different times, and Jesus responds to him directly! Jesus doesn’t ignore Paul, he doesn’t tell Paul that he is wrong to pray to him directly, he responds and provides Paul with the message that he needs to hear, Amen!

So what does this all mean, since it appears as if there could be contradictions? Well I asked the question, and I will answer the question with the Word of God.

John 21:25, And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Amen.

Each of these events, men praying to Jesus, and worshipping Jesus, are absolutely correct and not violating God’s law for us as Christians. The reason being, is scripture does not provide the situation and then say, “this is wrong to pray directly to Jesus,” or “this is wrong to worship Jesus.” These events happen and there is not one single correction of the action, therefore it must be in accordance to God’s will. Afterall, there are so many things that were taught to the early Christians that were “lived out” in scripture after they were taught by Jesus and his oringinal 12. Just because the physical act or statement from Jesus teaching the apostles that they can pray and worship him isn’t written in scripture, doesn’t negate the fact that these same men did indeed pray and worship him, which is written in scripture.

 

[GaryTaylor]

I would read Augustine on the Trinity. Here’s a few chapter’s from his work.

newadvent.org/fathers/130101.htm

 

[jbeck43]

Just a few things. Christ said He was, “Lord of the Sabbath”. (Matt 12), but who is the Lord of the Sabbath according to Exodus 20:10? The answer is God Himself. So what is Christ declaring in Matthew 12?

Also in Matthew, Christ said of Himself, That something greater than the Temple is here. But what was greater than the Temple in Jerusalem? The Temple was the unique dwelling place of God. If Jesus is saying He is greater than this, than He is making much more than an oblique reference here. He is also declaring in no uncertain terms His divine nature.

 

[Nicea325]

Just a few things. Christ said He was, “Lord of the Sabbath”. (Matt 12), but who is the Lord of the Sabbath according to Exodus 20:10? The answer is God Himself. So what is Christ declaring in Matthew 12?

Also in Matthew, Christ said of Himself, That something greater than the Temple is here. But what was greater than the Temple in Jerusalem? The Temple was the unique dwelling place of God. If Jesus is saying He is greater than this, than He is making much more than an oblique reference here. He is also declaring in no uncertain terms His divine nature.

Likewise, Jesus also says in John 8:58:

I am telling you the truth,before Abraham was born, ‘I AM.’

Cannot get anymore clearer as to who He claimed to be.

 

[jericho777]

There are many biblical proofs calling Jesus God.

John 20:28 Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”

Mat 1:23 “The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel”–which means, “God with us.”

John 5:18 For this reason the Jews tried all the harder to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.

Titus 2:13 while we wait for the blessed hope–the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ,

Remember only Jehovah is the King of the Jews but Jesus claimed that title. John 19:19,21 Pilate had a notice prepared and fastened to the cross. It read: JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS. The chief priests of the Jews protested to Pilate, “Do not write ‘The King of the Jews,’ but that this man claimed to be king of the Jews.”

Is 9:6-7 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he (Jesus) will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.

Rom 9:5 Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of Christ, who is God over all, forever praised! Amen.

2 Peter 1:1 Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ,
To those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have received a faith as precious as ours:

 

[Nicea325]

There are many biblical proofs calling Jesus God.

John 20:28 Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”

Mat 1:23 “The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel”–which means, “God with us.”

John 5:18 For this reason the Jews tried all the harder to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.

Titus 2:13 while we wait for the blessed hope–the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ,

Remember only Jehovah is the King of the Jews but Jesus claimed that title. John 19:19,21 Pilate had a notice prepared and fastened to the cross. It read: JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS. The chief priests of the Jews protested to Pilate, “Do not write ‘The King of the Jews,’ but that this man claimed to be king of the Jews.”

Is 9:6-7 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he (Jesus) will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.

Rom 9:5 Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of Christ, who is God over all, forever praised! Amen.

2 Peter 1:1 Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ,
To those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have received a faith as precious as ours:

 

[jericho777]

I have many more than these. I researched these in my dialog with my JW friend. The bottom line is Jesus made Himself equal to God, was worshipped by people and took upon Himself titles that are reserved with God. If He was not Himself God His actions would blasphemous and disqualified as Savior.

 

[Nicea325]

I have many more than these. I researched these in my dialog with my JW friend. The bottom line is Jesus made Himself equal to God, was worshipped by people and took upon Himself titles that are reserved with God. If He was not Himself God His actions would blasphemous and disqualified as Savior.

I too have a JW friend and usually ask him this question:

If JW’s teach that Jesus NEVER claimed to be God,then show me where He claimed NOT to be God, but was ONLY the archangel Michael?

 

[jbeck43]

There was an ancient tradition among Hebrews–that God made man out of His “spittle and slips of clay”. You can get more information more about this in Dr. John Bergsma’s excellent introduction to the dead sea scrolls on CD at his website at catholicproductions.com.

In John 9:6, Christ does something very interesting when a blind man comes to him. He makes clay out of His spittle and places it on the man’s eyes. The man is healed. But why didn’t Jesus just heal him as He did others? Because He wished to use the ancient tradition to make a statement about Himself. He is the one who from His spittle, makes clay from the ground, made this man see. The miracle confirms His statement. And the healed man seeing I think is an appropriate metaphor to the truth of Christ’s divinity.

 

[jericho777]

I too have a JW friend and usually ask him this question:

If JW’s teach that Jesus NEVER claimed to be God,then show me where He claimed NOT to be God, but was ONLY the archangel Michael?

That is a good point that I never thought of. Can I use this point with my friend? I have never found scriptures where Jesus tells people He is just Michael the Archangel. Jesus never goes around telling people He is the Messiah but demonstrates that He is. He was constantly frustrating the religious leaders of the day by never out rightly telling them He was the Messiah. Incidentally being the Messiah was being God in the OT biblical mindset.

What makes it difficult dialoging with JW’s is the scriptures have been edited to divert Jesus divinity from Him. John 1:1 and Rev 1:8 are a couple that come to mind but there are many more revisions than these. However there are still many scriptures left that point to Jesus’ divinity. Another strategy they employ is to change the definitions of words. Where Jesus is worshipped numerous times they say it only means to do obeisance. Not actually worship in the true sense of the word. However in Mat 4:10 we are told to only worship Jehovah and rightly so. The word used for worshipping Jesus and God are one in the same. So we can see their attempt to change the definition of the word worship is nothing more than a word game.