Q & A with a Friend of Chrysalis (Part 2)
Q. I have a friend who, in so many things, points to being spirit-filled. And it's not a faith based on works. She's really just living out a love for God, as far as I can see. On almost all points of scripture, we would agree. Except the biggie: Christ. She believes He is God's Son, but she believes that He is not God.
A. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Ouch! I know it's frustrating to see someone you care about departing from biblical truth in her thinking.
Jesus own self-understanding as Deity is key. He says, "If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him" (John 14:7). There are many Scriptures where Jesus clearly allies himself with the Godhead—not the least of which is his claim to have the authority to forgive sins.
Ultimately, the Jewish religious leadership found Jesus guilty of a capital crime for the blasphemy of claiming to be equal with God (Mark 14:60-64).
If you have time, I recommend that you read, Jesus the Messiah: A Survey of the Life of Christ by Robert H. Stein. You will be blessed! It was required reading for my Gospels class at Northwest University (AOG)."Stein declares that Jesus' supernatural nature, confirmed through Jesus' miracle-working ability, is the proper starting point for a study of the life of Christ. It is necessary, he argues, to speak of the Jesus of faith rather than merely a historical figure..."
This book will give you more fuel when presenting your point-of-view about Jesus' eternal nature to your friend.
What you're really fighting is a spiritual battle. It sounds like you've done a lot for your friend. At this point, prayer is certainly the best weapon you can use on her behalf.
Q. Thanks for your thoughts, e-Mom. I compiling a list of scriptures and thoughts for myself to give me a better grasp, and I'll be sure to check into the book suggestion!
Your friend seems to have a good mind. But her position indicates that she doesn't have a thorough grasp of Bible truth.
Hugs 'n Blessings, e-Mom ღ
Related
• "Is the Trinity Really a Bible Doctrine? Q & A with a Friend of Chrysalis (Part 1)"
If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. (Rom 10:9 NIV)
Photos: hillary ryland (Flickr)
Up Next—Family Life: Why Motherhood Matters
Do you believe Jesus is Lord, and that God raised him from the dead? (If so, you will be saved.)
2 Comments:
I had read that different people said that Jesus never claimed to be God. I knew He never put it in direct words like that, but I knew He did claim to be Deity. So the next time I read through the Gospels, I put a "C" (for "Claim") in the margin beside every verse where Jesus made a claim about Himself. The results are in this post:
http://barbarah.wordpress.com/2006/10/05/the-claims-of-christ/
BarabaraH: You've written a comprehensive, very informative post. Thanks for sharing your link!
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