Paul did not receive his apostleship from man, but from Christ.So, He (Christ) is not man.
(Galatians 1:1)“Paul, an apostle,(not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead…”
The gospel Paul preached did not come from man, but by the revelation of Christ.Christ is not man.
(Galatians 1:10-12)“For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.”
Worship of anybody who is not God is idolatry.
(Galatians 4:8)“Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods.”
It is God the Father who commanded that Christ be worshiped.
(Hebrews 1:5-6)“For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?And again, when he bringeth in the first begotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him.”
(1 Peter 3:15)“Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if you are asked about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it.” NLT
All men have sinned.Christ did not.
(Romans 3:23)“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God…”
(1 Kings 8:46)“If they sin against thee,(for there is no man that sinneth not,) and thou be angry with them, and deliver them to the enemy, so that they carry them away captives unto the land of the enemy, far or near…”
There is not a just man on earth that sin not.
(Ecclesiastes 7:20)“For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.”
Christ did not sin.
(John 8:46)“Which of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me?” RSV
(1 Peter 2:22)“Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth…”
(Romans 3:4)“God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.”
No man hath seen God.
(John 1:18)“No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.”
But Christ has seen Him.
(John 8:38)“I speak that which I have seen with my Father:and ye do that which ye have seen with your father.”
Man came from the dust of the ground.
(Genesis 2:7)“And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.”
Christ came from above — from God.
(John 6:38)“For I came down from heaven,not to do mine own will,but the will of him that sent me.”
(John 13:3)“Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God…”
Christ can see the heart and the mind; Man can not.
(Matthew 23:37)“Woe unto you,scribes and Pharisees,hypocrites!for ye are like unto whited sepulchers,which indeed appear beautiful outward,but are within full of deadmen’s bones,and of all uncleanness.”
(Jeremiah 17:9-10)“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?I the LORD search the heart,I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways,and according to the fruit of his doings.”
Christ directly talks to the Father; Man can not.
(John 17:5)“And now,O Father,glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.”
(John 12:28)“Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.”
(Jeremiah 30:21)“And their nobles shall be of themselves, and their governor shall proceed from the midst of them; and I will cause him to draw near, and he shall approach unto me: for who is this that engaged his heart to approach unto me? saith the LORD.”
Christ has life in Him; can give and take it away.
(John 10:17-18)“Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself.I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again.This commandment have I received of my Father.”
Man has not power over death.Christ has.
(Ecclesiastes 8:8)“There is no man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither hath he power in the day of death: and there is no discharge in that war; neither shall wickedness deliver those that are given to it.”
(John 11:25)“Jesus said unto her,I am the resurrection,and the life:he that believeth in me,though he were dead,yet shall he live…”
Christ came from eternity.
(Micah 5:2)“But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah,though thou be little among the thousands of Judah,yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.”
God Bless.
EFS
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Amen to all that I’ve read today in this article, I’m pretty sadden and pitty those who still are finding it hard to accept the truth cause they are being blinded by the light of unrightousness, I hope and pray that someday they will see the light of our Lord Jesus Christ. I am also thankfull for everything, that I am a part of the true Church of God and with God’s mercy and help I’ll spend the rest of my life and die serving our God and always be thankfull for all that I’ve received and will receive. Thanks be to God forever and ever Amen.
Does anyone know what ‘icing on the cake’ means?
Read again the post of Bro. Eli above and you might have an idea.
If only the members of the INKT would ‘CARE’ for THEIR SOULS, they wouldn’t stick to the false belief which the Manalos taught them.
Common. See Galatians 1:1. Again and again, over and over, again and again.
Amen!
To Mr. Vincent Reyes:
Read all these crystal clear explanation of Bro. Eli and just open your mind. If you still haven’t convince by all these explanations, you really blinded by the false doctrines of your presiding minister who cannot come out into open to defend those doctrines that Jesus Christ is a mere man which you embraced. May God enlighten you heart.
In spite of many biblical verses written in the bible that proves that Jesus Christ is God that manifested in the flesh, still those so-called christians believes otherwise… I hope a time will come for them to realize that what Bro. Eli is preaching is the undefiled gospel of Christ.
To God be the Glory!
What another powerful and informative blog by Bro. Eli!
The verses that he uses are straight to the point, no nonsense explanation of the the real deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, and inspite of all these facts, still some people dont comprehend this biblical reality, is either blinded for the already obvious reasons or fanatisim has already overwhelmed their capacity to think right!
In our experience with these people who believe and promote the belief that Jesus is a man in his original state,with out any chance of being God, these characters are real trouble makers. We can see this in biblical history and the present situtation.
Jews who didnt believed that Jesus was a God, tried to kill Him, were very closed minded, self righteous and ego centric people.
Like in trusting mute idols. It has a very destructive effect to those who practice it, written in Psalms Chapter 115.
God said that as the idols are deaf, mute and blind, so will be those who put thier trusts in them. Its CURSE!
Those who trusts these idols, WILL BE LIKE THEM!
Believing a false doctrine has very real destructive effects on the personalty and psychology of persons who follow them.
May God enlighten this people with the intrumentation of God’s servant in our time. The ONLY SENSIBLE PREACHER OF OUR TIMES! BRO. ELI SORIANO! WE ARE WITH YOU IN THIS MISSION! God bless ESORIANO BLOG READERS!
To all those people who believe that Christ is MAN, defend your stand, else, just sit down.
Can anyone contest to that?
Post your reactions now, and definitely every time you (Tumbok) try to oppose on these, the truth of God will enlighten more and more souls..
just keep it coming tumbok (if there still any)!
With all these verses that bro Eli cited on his blog, anyone who will insist on believing that Christ is a man and not God, is nothing but a fool and has a zero knowledge about the scriptures.
this is great! the Bible speaks directly through this blogger.
no more further interpretations! the verses has said it all. Amen.
to those that claim Jesus is just a man may be referring to another jesus.
if that is the case, their jesus as man is a liar.
Rom 3:4 God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.
Bro Eli’s first used verse alone: (Galatians 1:1) “Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead…” proves that Jesus Christ is not man.
I have a lot of relatives who still believes that Christ is not God. I pray that someday God will touch their lives and open up their hearts and mind to accept the truth about Christ.
Every time I read Bro. Eli’s articles, my heart goes with them because I pity them and wants them to experience how good and wonderful the Lord is.
May God have mercy to them who believe that Christ is just a man.
Amen!
To Mr. Vincent Reyes,
Reading the Bible and not the Pasugo. Listen to Christ and his apostles and not Manalo. Accept God’s word and not man’s word.
Admit that you have commited sin against Christ and Christ never commited any sin. Believe Christ is God and Manalo is man.
To God be the Glory!
To Mr. Vincent Reyes,
Read the Bible and not the Pasugo. Listen to Christ and his apostles and not Manalo. Accept God’s word and not man’s word.
Admit that you have commited sin against Christ and Christ never commited any sin. Believe Christ is God and Manalo is man.
To God be the Glory!
no wonder why there are people who still believes that the Lord Jesus Christ is a man. two things, either they are fanatics of the group that they are in or as what the bible says;
2 CORINTHIANS 4:4, “in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should not dawn upon them.”
and with that, i thank GOD for i was once blind, but now can see.
most of all, i thank GOD for sending the TRUE “SUGO” (messenger), the ONLY SENSIBLE PREACHER of our time, brother ELI SORIANO.
TO GOD BE THE GLORY!
To all defenders of the Temple of Darkness.
OUR CHROMOSOMES
There are 46 chromosomes in our body cells. Of these, 23 came through our mother’s egg and 23 came through our father’s sperm. When the egg and the sperm join together at the time of conception, they form the first cell of the baby. This cell has 46 chromosomes, made up of 23 pairs, which is all the genetic material needed for a new person to start developing…http://www.genetics.com.au/factsheet/01.htm
Think of these, huMAN had a father and mother in the flesh. Our Lord Jesus Christ doesn’t have a father in flesh.
Luk 1:31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.
Luk 1:32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:
Luk 1:33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.
Luk 1:34 Then said Mary unto the angel, HOW SHALL THIS BE, SEEING I KNOW NOT A MAN?
Luk 1:35 And the angel answered and said unto her, The HOLY GHOST shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the SON OF GOD.
Imagine! these verses alone will solve the question whether our Lord Jesus Christ is a MAN or GOD. Very simple! Only morons could not understand it. Hehehe. =))
To God be the Glory!
How delightful is this! Very well explained. Our Lord Jesus Christ is God.
to La Verita
very good analogy
come to think of it, I wonder how the conception of our Lord Jesus christ was possible scientifically. Mary’s egg cell was not fertilized(if that was indeed the case) by a sperm cell.
if an egg cell+sperm cell is an equation for MAN then our Lord Jesus Christ wont qualify as one.
we should refer to him as something else other than MAN.
For me I don’t believe that Christ is just a MAN like us, not because Mary born Jesus he’s already a son of man like the iglesia ni Manalo’s teaching to their members, it’s really a big MISTAKE…
Illogically that if you are a son of man then you are a man, no one says that you were born by your mother then you will say that you are an ape. gosh! Its crazy and I won’t accept it that I came from ape but there’s someone scientifically claims that many people say that we originally came from Ape… NO WAY!!!!
What I mean to tell you….. it implies that the son of man is a man and the son of God is also a God its in John 1:1-3, 14 it says here that the WORD became FLESH, is their anybody from us came from WORD then became a FLESH? no one, it’s only the begotten Son he was manifest in the flesh. And also another verse can prove that Jesus is not a Man its in John 1:18 tells that No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son which means he is not a MAN because he seen GOD.
I just hope that this verse sufficient for the purpose to open the minds for those who believe that Christ is just a man, Proverbs 30:4 it says this way…Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? who hath gathered the wind in his fists? who hath bound the waters in a garment? who hath established all the ends of the earth? what is his name and what is his SON’S name, if thou canst tell? I challenged every one who does not believe that Christ is not God can you tell the name of the son of God if it’s not JESUS the only begotten son?
Amen! bro. eli Jesus is not a man, no doubt! but………there is one thing that caught my attention the word “Guile”
you said and quoted:
Christ did not sin.
(1 Peter 2:22) “Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth…”
Christ did not guile.
But Paul did something Let me quote:
…..nevertheless, being crafty, I CAUGHT YOU WITH GUILE” (II cor. 12:16)
Did he? or did he not? Kindly clarify bro. eli . Thank you!
TO ALL TUMBOK REFUTER:
Mr. Tumbok raised his white flag! (check his posts in bro. eli’s article: Christ the wisdom of God). He realized that our Lord Jesus Christ existed even before Abraham following the admission that our Lord Jesus Christ is not a man. Once again, the truth prevails! Thanks be to God for having Bro. Eli!
TO GOD BE THE GLORY!
This is no nonsense.. Christ is truly not a man like those other religion believe.. Thank God for this article Bro. Eli.. God Bless..
Galatians 6:6 Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things.
2 Corinthians 12:16 But be it so, I did not burden you: nevertheless, being crafty, I caught you with guile.
2 Corinthians 12:13 For what is it wherein ye were inferior to other churches, except it be that I myself was not burdensome to you? forgive me this wrong.
The TRUTH will always prevails. Whatever reasoning you will use, in the end truth will always come out victorious
“Christ is man”, for inc and to born again and others who called themselves christians it’s “God-man”. Both belief are heresy. Thank God for bro. Eli, biblically, Christ is God! I can have peace in my heart and won’t run to and fro. ssD
jesus is God….NO DOUBT
Jesus is man: Jews taught that he is a man that’s why they crucified HIM.
Jesus is God: If the Jews knew ONLY that Lord Jesus is God…WHAT DO YOU THINK??? open your eyes INC’s. Simple logic only.
Read the bible and not the pasugo.
SSD.
Lord Jesus; our God, our Lord….our Friend forever more!
To God be the Glory!
Bro.Eli,
You had completed my day again by this very wonderful topic.Thanks be to GOD!and more power……………………….!
We hope to see you soon,and we really miss you Bro.Eli.
Bro. Tricks
JESUS IS GOD. PERIOD.
truly Jesus Christ is God, only those whose hearts are locked, don’t want to be opened, surely they will die with that belief, hope physically not eternally!
truly Jesus Christ is God, only those whose hearts are locked, don’t want to be opened, surely they will die with that belief, i hope physically not eternally!
…yah, Jesus is not only a man..this is the wisdom cometh from God that is hidden to those wicked..none of the wicked shall understand!! Amen.
all i can say to this site is: Thanks to him and many people are enlighten. To God be the Glory!
True God the son and true God the father. But the powerful God is only one the creature of heavens and earths and all things. IS GOD THE FATHER IN HEAVENS.
Christ….is God. man is the flesh (the body of Jesus)
to all INCM MINISTERS,
JESUS CHRIST IS GOD! your just denying that he is GOD because of the high salary that manalo gaves you.
AMEN!
I really believe that Jesus Christ is GOD that have manifested in flesh.I hope all members of those religion believing that Christ is man give themselves time to search for the truth.Go out and look for answers.I believe you have questions on your mind about your faith.
I hope all of the people visting this site find some time to share this article with other people.We can embed this to our website or print some and post on general public info board.
Another good news I discover a player named TVU player playing cable channels including TOP channel.Feel free to visit this website..
http://tvunetworks.com/
Download the TVU player and enjoy….
GOD Bless you Bro. ELI ….See you soon God willing…
AMEN BRO. ELI!!!
To La Verita:
You believe that in order to be a man in nature, sperm cells and egg cells must be united. Now, do you believe that Adam is a MAN or a GOD?
How many gods do you believe to?
to Revned,
the point here is that we are proving if Christ is a man or a GOD…if you believe that He is a man, then prove it.If you can, then so be it… But if you believe He is truly a God then there is no point of arguing here.
If i will going to believe that Christ is also a God and will worship him, then i will worship 2 gods which is wrong. There is no direct statement coming from Christ (or even from the apostles) stating that he (Christ) is a god.
History repeats itself!
That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth that which is past.
Ecclesiastes 3:15
King James Version
Like the Jews from the time of Jesus, they do not believe that Christ is God.
Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him.
Jesus answered them, Many good works have I showed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me?
The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.
John 10:31-33
to Revned,
let me guess, you do not believe Christ is God because you are a member of INC right? logically speaking if Christ is man, then INC is a church of man. And since you believe and have faith in man, then you are one of the cursed people stated in Jer 17:5
Jer 17:5
Thus saith the LORD; Cursed [be] the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD.
there is a direct statement stating that Christ is a God from the Apostles….example is when Thomas saw the risen Christ, he said to Christ “My Lord and My God”
Jn 20:28
And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.
and how would you explain Jn 1:1-3 huh? c’mon open your mind, read the bible before it is too late
To Revned:
Read again your bible, Ang Dios Ama at Dios Anak na si Hesus
ay different being! Read carefully what Bro Eli had said in his blog. You will find out!
Believers in Christ’s alleged deity cite what Apostle Thomas said in proving their point. They quote John 20:28 where Apostle Thomas called Jesus Christ his Lord and his God:
“And Thomas answered and said to Him, ‘My Lord and my God!'”(NKJV)
There are several probing questions that need to be answered in order to determine whether it is correct or not to conclude from John 20:28 that “Christ is God”:
What does the verse say regarding what Apostle Thomas believed? What was it that Apostle Thomas doubted at first? Were Christ and Apostle Thomas speaking about the former’s alleged deity?
First, let us find out what Apostle Thomas doubted. John 20:24-25 says:
“But Thomas, called Didymus, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came.”The other disciples therefore said to him, ‘We have seen the Lord’. But he said to them, ‘Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe’.” (Ibid.)
As can be deduced from the verses quoted, the topic of discussion was about Christ’s resurrection. Apostle Thomas was not present when Christ first appeared to His disciples after His resurrection. Apostle Thomas could not believe that Christ had been resurrected:
“Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.”
Hence, Apostle Thomas’ doubts were not concerning the nature of Christ, but on the latter’s resurrection.
Eight days after His first appearance, Jesus appeared again to His disciples. This time, Apostle Thomas was present. What did the Lord say to Apostle Thomas?
“And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, ‘Peace to you!'”Then He said to Thomas, ‘Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.” (Jn. 20:26-27, Ibid.)
What Christ said to Apostle Thomas was aimed at dispelling the latter’s doubt regarding His resurrection. Out of surprise, Apostle Thomas mistook Christ to be God when he said, “My Lord and My God” (Jn 20:28, Ibid.) The fact is, it was not only Apostle Thomas who misttok Christ for God when the risen Christ appeared to His disciples. Even the other disciples thought that Christ was a spirit:
“Now as they said these things, Jesus Himself stood in the midst of them, and said to them, ‘Peace to you’.
“But they were terrifed and frightened, and supposed they had seen a spirit.”And He said to them, ‘Why are you troubed? And why do doubts arise in your hearts?
“‘Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. Handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have’.” (Lk. 24:33-39, Ibid.)
Christ DID NOT CONDONE but instead CORRECTED the wrong belief of Apostle Thomas and the other disciples. He explained that a spirit has no flesh and bones, which Christ said “you see I have.” God, who is spirit in nature (Jn. 4:24), has no flesh and bones. On the other hand, man is “indeed flesh” (Gen. 6:3, Ibid.)
Here, it is made clear that the teaching that Christ has a dual nature is against the doctrine of the Bible. The Lord Jesus Christ, who is a man, is not God.
(God’s Message, Sept. 2001, pp. 21-22)
nice revned but still not enough. how would you explain Jn 1:1-3 (where Christ as the Word became flesh;and the Word is God)? Gal 1:1 (where Paul did not considered Jesus as man)? I Cor 10:4 (where Christ is the Rock that followed the Israelites)?
There are verses in the bible about all men have sinned(Rom 3:23,I Kings 8:46,Ecc 7:20). If He is a man then, you are accepting the fact that He had sinned. And if He have sinned, therefore, your church is a church of sinner. Is there any verse in the bible that he committed even a single sin?Of course none. If you will tell me that “No man did not committed sin except Christ”, where in the bible can you read it?Please, don’t dare add or remove verses from the bible.
Peace be with thee
ONE OF THE VERSES cited frequently by the proponents of Christ’s alleged deity to prove that their teaching is biblical is recorded in the Gospel according to Apostle John, which runs, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1, New King James Version). Interpreting the term Word to be our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, Lord Jesus Christ Himself, they would then continue to read verse 14 in that same chapter, which states, “and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (Ibid.), to come up with hasty conclusion that Christ was God who became man or was God incarnate.
It must be noted that nowhere in the aforecited verses is it asserted that Christ already pre-existed in the beginning nor is He pointed out to be the true God who became man. The term Word should not be construed as Christ Himself, who pre-existed or has been existing since the beginning as God. The biblical fact, as stated by Apostle Peter, is that Christ was ‘foreknown, indeed, before the foundation of the world, but manifested in the last times for you” (I Pet. 1:20 Douay Version).
Hence, there was no Christ yet existing in the beginning but only a “predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God” (Acts 2:23, New American Standard Bible) concerning the creation of Christ. God had Christ already in His mind as a plan even before Christ came to exist corporeally. That is why the verse says that the “word was with God.” What was with God in the beginning was not Christ Himself but God’s Word-His knowledge or plan to create Christ.
The Word or Logos
The term Word in John 1:1 and 14 was translated from the Greek term Logos. That the Logos or Word, as can be understood from the pronouncement of the Apostle Peter, was not Christ Himself pre-existing as God, but a plan or thought coming from God, is also concurred in by Bible scholars. One Bible Encyclopedia gives this explanation:
“Logos signifies in classical Gr[eek] both ‘reason’ and ‘word’ … The [term] ‘thought’ is probably the best equivalent for the Gr[eek] term, since it denotes, on the one hand, the faculty of reason, or the thought inwardly conceived in the mind; and, on the other hand, the thought outwardly expressed through the vehicle of language. (The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, vol. 3, p. 191)
The term Word in John 1:1 obviously does not signify a pre-existent Christ. The Greek term Logos from which it was translated signifies ‘reason’ and ‘word’ itself, and can best be equated with the term ‘thought’. As to the meaning of this term as used in the verse, Catholic authorities, who are undoubtedly believers in Christ-is-God doctrine, have this to say:
“St. John employs the term Word. It is so used only by St. John … and designates the Son as a kind of intellectual emanation from the Father … “(John 1:1, Douay Version, footnote)
Based on the explanation of both the aforecited Protestant and Catholic authorities, the term Word in John 1:1 does not signify a Christ who has been existing eternally as God. The term simply means ‘reason’ or ‘thought’ emanating or coming from God, and we can only agree to this because this is what the Bible teaches.
God promised His Son
Believers in the Christ-is-God doctrine argue that if Christ has not existed from the very beginning, then why does the Bible say that “He was chosen before the creation of the world” (1 Pet. 1:20, New International Version)? “How could He have been chosen if He hadn’t existed yet?” they ask. Does it necessarily mean that just because Christ was chosen before the creation, He already existed before the foundation of the world? What would be the implication if we were to accept the erroneous reasoning that Christ could not have been chosen if He had not pre-existed? Recorded in the Apostle Paul’s epistle to the Ephesian Christians is this:
“Just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will.” (Eph. 1:4-5, NKJV)
It is a biblical fact that the world came to .exist before man did, but man was already chosen by God before the foundation of the world for adoption by our Lord Jesus Christ. So if one were to accept that Christ had pre-existed for the simple reason that He was chosen before the foundation of the world and He couldn’t have been chosen without Him already existing, then one would also have to accept that the people intended for Christ also existed before the foundation of the world, because they, too, have been chosen from the very beginning and they then couldn’t have been chosen without them existing.
But as it was, Christ did not exist in the beginning. What existed with God in the beginning was His Word-His thought or plan concerning Christ. And such a plan of creating Christ He did not keep in His mind undisclosed, but promised it:
“Which He promised before through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures, concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh.” (Rom. 1:2-3, Ibid.)
God promised through His prophets that He would create Christ. The fact that He promised “concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord” even before and that Christ was “born of the seed of David” means that there was no Christ yet existing in the beginning, or else there would have been no need for God to do that if, all along, Christ had already been existing corporeally. In essence, therefore, what is referred to in John 1:1 as the Word is God’s plan to create Christ-in the beginning, Christ was a thought, a plan that God had promised through His prophets.
‘The Word was with God’
The clause, “the Word was with God,” only proves that God and the Word are different from each other-that God is not the Word and vice versa. Although perplexed by this lucid reasoning, one believer in Christ’s alleged deity still explains:
” … (And the Word was with God). One person cannot be ‘with’ another person unless he is a different personality; … Although we cannot understand how the Father and the Son can be the same person and yet different persons, … “(Studies in the Life of Christ, pp. 223-224)
Being with God in the beginning, the Word cannot be God in state of being because then it would appear that there are two true Gods-the God with whom the Word was and the Word itself. Such an implication of having two true Gods certainly runs counter to the teaching of our Lord Jesus Christ concerning the true God, recorded by the same Apostle John, who wrote the passage in question. Says our Lord Jesus:
” … Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You, … And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” John 17:1, 3, NKJV)
Christ taught that the Father (not the Son) is the only true God. By this statement of our Lord Jesus Christ, He virtually left no more room for all the rest, including Himself, to be recognized as the true God. To insist, therefore, that the Word, which was with God in the beginning, is also God in state of being is to oppose this teaching of Christ. Clearly, the true God, from whom the plan or thought to create Christ originated, is different from His plan.
‘The Word was God’
If the Word or Logos is a thought or plan that came from God, and not God in state of being, why then did Apostle John write that “the Word was God”? This is to describe the quality of the Word, which belonged to God. As the angel Gabriel aptly put it: “For no word from God shall be void of power” (Luke 1:37, American Standard Version). God, to whom the Word belonged, has the unique attribute of being Almighty or all powerful (Gen. 35:11). Hence, just as God is powerful, so, too, is His Word. What God had spoken would surely be fulfilled (Isa. 46:11). And this truth is also accepted by those who studied this matter. In the New Bible Dictionary, this is recorded:
“The word possesses a like power to the God who speaks” (p. 703). Thus, the term God in the clause “the Word was God” is used as an adjective and not as a noun. It is used to modify or describe the Word of God. Which is why, some Bible translators render the clause, “the Word was divine” (Godspeed Translation) and “the Logos was divine” (Moffatt Translation). And this position regarding the use of the term God in this clause is also supported by Bible scholars. One book says about this matter:
“First, it should be noted that the text itself shows that the Word was ‘with God’, hence could not ‘be God’, that is, be the Almighty God. (Note also verse 2, which would be unnecessary if verse 1 actually showed the Word to be God.) Additionally, the word for ‘god’ (Greek, the-os) in its second occurrence in the verse is without the definite article ‘the’ (Greek, ho). Regarding this fact, Bishop Westcott, co producer of the noted Westcott and Hart Greek text of the Christian Scriptures, says: ‘it is necessarily without the article (the’os, not ho the’os) inasmuch as it describes the nature of the Word, and does not identify His Person’. (Quoted from page 116 of An Idiom-Book of New Testament Greek, by Professor C.F.D. Maule, 1953, ed.)” (Aid To Bible Understanding, p. 919)
Another reason given by Bible scholars why the Word could not be God in state of being is that, in the original Greek, the term for God (theos) in the clause “the Word was God” is not preceded by the definite article “the” (ho), and hence it functions as an adjective. No wonder, there are Bible translators who rendered the term God in the said clause as “divine” to describe the quality of the Word, which comes from God. A Protestant scholar who studied the verse explains the implication of the absence of the definite article in the said clause as far as usage of the noun in Greek is concerned:
“(iii) Finally, John says that the Word was God. This is a difficult saying for us to understand, and it is difficult because Greek, in which John wrote, had a different way of saying things from the way in which English speaks. When Greek uses the noun it almost always uses the definite article with it. The Greek word for God is theos and the definite article is ho. When Greek speaks about God it does not simply say theos; it says ho theos. Now when the Greek does not use the definite article with a noun, that noun becomes much more like an adjective. John did not say that the Word was ho theos; that would have been to say that the word was identical with God. (The Gospel of John, vol. 1, p. 39)
This explanation of a New Testament scholar agrees to the teaching of the Church of Christ that the term God in the clause “the Word was God” is used as an adjective, describing simply the quality of the Logos or the Word that is, the Word is with power, as the true God, who owns it, is powerful. And the author couldn’t have explained it otherwise because if the term God in this clause were to mean the true God Himself, Apostle John would have written ho theos. But as it is, the Greek noun theos is without the definite article ho, hence, in this instance, it serves as an adjective.
‘The Word became flesh’
It is clear from the clause, “the Word became flesh,” that neither the true God, who owns the Word, nor our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the fulfillment of the Word, became flesh but the Word itself. This simply means that what was planned and promised by God in the beginning came to be fulfilled at the time appointed by Him. The Apostle Paul states:
“But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.” (Gal. 4:4-5, NKJV)
When God sent forth His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, at the appointed time, His plan of giving or sending a Savior to redeem man from the curse of the law was fulfilled. This had found fulfillment in a human being born of a woman named Mary (Matt. 1: 18, 20), that is why the Apostle John said that “the Word became flesh.” But before Christ was conceived in Mary’s womb, He did not yet exist. What existed was God’s Word-His plan, which He had spoken and disclosed by promising it to His servants. By analogy, this is like someone who planned and said that he would build a house. There was not a house yet in existence for it was just a plan in his mind, which he then spoke and disclosed. When did the house come into being? After it was built. But prior to its being built, what existed was only a plan in the person’s mind. And when the house was built, it was not the person who planned to build it who turned into a house but his plan. Likewise, it was not God who planned or spoke the Word that “became flesh” but His Lord. And when God’s Word or plan was fulfilled, Christ, who was the fulfillment, testified to His being “a man telling the truth,” which He “heard from God” (John 8:40). Hence, Christ is not God but, rather, He is different from Him. It is therefore a grave error to believe and conclude from what the Apostle John wrote in his Gospel that Christ is God who became man.
Such an erroneous teaching about a God incarnate reminds us of the pagan belief that the apostles opposed during their time. Recorded in the Book of Acts is this narrative:
“In Lystra there sat a man crippled in his feet, who was lame from birth and had never walked. He listened to Paul as he was speaking. Paul looked directly at him, saw that he had faith to be healed and called out, ‘Stand up on your feet!’ At that, the man jumped up and began to walk. When the crowd saw what Paul had done, they shouted in the Lycaonian language, ‘The gods have come down to us in human form!’ Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul they called Hermes because he was the chief speaker. The priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the city, brought bulls and wreaths to the city gates because he and the crowd wanted to offer sacrifices to them. But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of this, they tore their clothes and rushed out into the crowd, shouting: ‘Men, why are you doing this? We too are only men, human like you. We are bringing you good news, telling you to turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made heaven and earth and sea and everything in them’.” (Acts 14:8-15, N1V)
Lystra, where the aforecited incident occurred, was a place populated by pagans. When these pagans saw the apostles perform miracles, they thought of them as gods who came down in human form. But the Apostles Paul and Barnabas did not allow them to continue believing each of them as god who became man very much like the belief that Christ is God who became man. Rather, they corrected their wrong notion and urged them instead to return to the true God, who made heaven and earth and everything in it. It should strike us. therefore, that the teaching that Christ was God incarnate is not only unbiblical but also smacks of pagan belief, something the true Christians cannot – and will not tolerate but, rather, will vigorously oppose and correct, just like what the apostles did, and what the Church of Christ or Iglesia Ni Cristo is doing.
(January 2006 | Vol.58 | No.1)
and by the way…Thomas never doubted Jesus’ nature as God, because he knows that Jesus is really a God. This is the reason he said “My Lord and My God”. where can you read Thomas mistaking Christ as God? If you will continue reading Lk 24:33-39 to 48 you will see the reason why He needs to return to the Apostles as flesh, it is for the fulfillment of the prophecies. And if you will continue reading up to the last verse, you will see that Christ went up to the heavens which is impossible for a man
If Jesus has the power of being a god, like going up to heaven, why do Jesus cannot resurrect himself? ( Acts 2:23-24,32 )
To La Verita (Defender of the Temple with Tyangge inside):
If Jesus has the power of being a god, like going up to heaven, why do Jesus cannot resurrect himself? ( Acts 2:23-24,32 ) Why does the God needs to resurrect him if Christ has the power? Answer it.
hethfield:
You are insisting that Jesus is a god because He does not sinned at all.
If he takes out our sins (I John 3:5), do this means that we will also be god because our sins are cleared?
Yes He is God because he never ever committed sin,if He away our sin, still the fact remains that we still HAD committed sin. Unlike Him who never EVER committed sin.
If you want a proof of Christ pre-existence before He became man, read I Pet 1:10-11
1:10 Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace [that should come] unto you:
1:11 Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.
as you can see, He is with the prophets. He is even with the Israelites in the desert I Cor 10
10:1 Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;
10:2 And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;
10:3 And did all eat the same spiritual meat;
10:4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.
You asked la verita “If Jesus has the power of being a god, like going up to heaven, why do Jesus cannot resurrect himself? ( Acts 2:23-24,32 ) Why does the God needs to resurrect him if Christ has the power?” the answer my brother can be found if you will continue reading from the same chapter. You are so hasty in making such conclusion brother.
I am impressed by the way you answer but I am wondering why you keep on quoting from different books and “scholars”. Is the bible not enough for you to believe men?And when will you quote something from your ministers?And by the way, it is better to have a temple with tiangge rather a temple with m*rd*r
to revned,
still looking for Christ’s pre-existence? see Col 1:15-18
1:14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, [even] the forgiveness of sins:
1:15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:
1:16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether [they be] thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
1:17 And HE IS BEFORE ALL THINGS, and by him all things consist.
1:18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all [things] he might have the preeminence.
1:19 For it pleased [the Father] that in him should all fullness dwell;
as you can read in verse 17, it is clearly stated that HE EXISTED EVEN BEFORE ALL THINGS. the same in Pr 8:22-30
8:22 The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old.
8:23 I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was.
8:24 When [there were] no depths, I was brought forth; when [there were] no fountains abounding with water.
8:25 Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth:
8:26 While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world.
8:27 When he prepared the heavens, I [was] there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth:
8:28 When he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of the deep:
8:29 When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth:
8:30 Then I was by him, [as] one brought up [with him]: and I was daily [his] delight, rejoicing always before him;
Christ was with God even before the beginning of God’s ways.Even before creation.
Another one is in Rev 1:11
1:11 Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send [it] unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.
Now let us read another reason why Christ had to take form of a man and why He had to die. Let us read Phil 2:6-11
2:6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
2:7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
2:8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
2:9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
2:10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of [things] in heaven, and [things] in earth, and [things] under the earth;
2:11 And [that] every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ [is] Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
As you can read, it is clearly stated HE IS IN THE FORM OF GOD. But due to respect to HIS FATHER, He took the form of a servant to be obedient to the Father unto death. READ 2:11, CHRIST IS LORD
If you want to see the reasons of His death continue reading in Col 1:20-22
1:20 And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, [I say], whether [they be] things in earth, or things in heaven.
1:21 And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in [your] mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled
1:22 In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:
and another reason of His death is Rev 1:5
1:5 And from Jesus Christ, [who is] the faithful witness, [and] the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,
Obedience and respect to the Father is one of the answer why He didn’t resurrect Himself so He will not be equal to the Father (Phil 2:6).
My faith relies on the bible and what God teaches through our minister. I don’t have to quote histories, scholars, and even books brother. The bible is complete just read and understand.
Peace be with thee
to revned,
read bro eli’s post
Christ has life in Him; can give and take it away.
(John 10:17-18) “Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.”
Man has not power over death. Christ has.
(Ecclesiastes 8:8) “There is no man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither hath he power in the day of death: and there is no discharge in that war; neither shall wickedness deliver those that are given to it.”
(John 11:25) “Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live…”
But He didn’t resurrect Himself because, like I said, He humbled Himself before the Father (Phil 2:6-8)
Peace be with thee brother
I do not know if you revned and vincent are just one person trying all your best to study how to answer and neutralize the unbeatable presentations of Bro Eli that JESUS CHRIST is not man but GOD. I have a feeling that you want to extract as many proofs as possible from Bro Eli that JESUS CHRIST is GOD, being the ONLY BEGOTTEN SON. You are not dumb to understand the verses brought out by Bro Eli. I know you will then report to your ‘handlers’ at diliman central inc-ni-manalo all the verses discussed by Bro Eli, hoping against hope that the inc-ni-manalo will find ways to refute them. You ‘spies’ are everywhere, including the internet and blogs. Just like those who were sent ahead of you, you will fail because Bro Eli will never run out of verses and biblical evidence that JESUS CHRIST is GOD. In the end, you will end up baptized in the CHURCH OF GOD International, and joyfully join your former ministers and co-members, together with the multitude that came from many other religions. So it is nice that you vincent and revned came into this blog, just go on. We will wait for that day when we will all be singing praises to GOD side by side.with you. Thank you Bro Eli for the very simple yet ‘piercing’ explanations that there is a great difference between JESUS CHRIST and man. GREAT ART THOU O LORD GOD.
Revned #52: You said:
You are insisting that Jesus is a god because He does not sinned at all.
If he takes out our sins (I John 3:5), do this means that we will also be god because our sins are cleared?
Dude, before clearing our sins, he calls us gods! Read John 10:35. And Hetfield is correct, man has no power over death, Christ can. Christ can resurrect, and he did. He showed himself to the apostles to fulfill the prophesy of the prophets that Jesus will die and the resurrect on the third day (take note the 1 day period used in the bible concerning the three days is 12 hours period). Christ is the SON OF GOD. Read the bible first and more often, then ask assistance from GOD and Jesus Christ, not your ego!
I am not against that Christ is from God and was sent by God. But as I read this post, verses were shown to support only that Jesus is not a man. The Bible show us the Jesus is the Son of God, But it also shows that Jesus is the Son of Man. Having said this it is only fair to show those verses that Jesus as man.
But what is a man???Probably this need to be answer to well understand this meaning.
Below are some verses showing Jesus as a man.
Act 2:22 a man approved of God
Acts 13:37-39 – by this man the forgiveness of sin
Acts 17:31 by that man he had ordained
Romans 5:15 The gift by grace , which by one man
1 cor 15:21, for by man came death, by man came also ressurrection from the dead
1 cor 15:47 The first man is of the earth, earthy; the second man is the Lord from heaven
1tim2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
The Name of Our Lord and Christ is Jesus.
He is the Son of God
He is the Son of Man
Php 2:6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
Php 2:7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
Php 2:8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.