Did Jesus claim to be Deity?

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Response to one who denies Jesus’ Deity,

Your spiritual misunderstanding is mind boggling considering that your rejection of Jesus as God, Deity, proclaims your status as unredeemed, remaining in your sin (John 8:24).

I don’t suggest that understanding the necessity for Messiah’s deity is an element of salvation but I will profess that once one is redeemed by faith in Jesus and has received the indwelling Holy Spirit as Guarantor and the Seal of New Covenant promise (Ephesians 1:13-14), they will KNOW and they will openly confess that Jesus is God/Elohim who is Creator, Warrior, Messiah and Judge; this, because the Spirit of Truth (John 16:13-15) testifies of Jesus’ Deity and the necessity for same.

“Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am “He,” you will die in your sins.” John 8:24 (NASB)

In John 8:24, the word “he” is added by translators. While English Bibles (like the NIV or KJV) use “I am he,” the original Greek simply says “I am” (egō eimi). This directly mirrors the divine name used in the Old Testament (Exodus 3:14), with Jesus claiming equality with God.

Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am.” John 8:58 (NASB)

Again: the original Greek says “I am” (egō eimi). This directly mirrors the divine name used in the Old Testament (Exodus 3:14), with Jesus claiming equality with God.

The Jewish audience and their religious leadership clearly understood Jesus’ proclamation of Deity and sought to murder Jesus by stoning; ultimately, charging Jesus with “blasphemy” and handing Him over to Pilate, Herod, for execution.

Your initial error is failing to understand the context upon which Hebrews 1, John 1, Colossians 1, are based; that is, Jesus in His hypostatic union as fully man and fully Elohim. Jesus has enjoyed coequal glory and omnipotence and omnipresence with the Father and the Spirit from Eternity past; this, before the World was created (John 17:5). When the Father speaks of the Son as the “firstborn” and “begotten” and having been “appointed” and “sit at my right hand”…the Father is speaking of the unique position of the eternal God-Man, Jesus our Messiah, unique to all of Eternity and Jesus will continue in this unique positioning as the “firstfruits” of those resurrected from the dead with a glorified body…the same type of body the saints in Jesus will receive at the resurrection of the righteous.

The Father is speaking in terms of a resurrected Messiah who had previously set aside many of His deific attributes in order to take on flesh, subject Himself to the constraints of Time and physics and rely solely upon the Holy Spirit for power and miracles and conquering Satan at Golgotha (Luke 4:1; 1 John 3:8). It is this same Jesus that the Father is glorifying for OUR benefit demonstrating the power of obedience and honor and dignity displayed by the Son who will reign King forevermore. King in the Millennial Kingdom and the Eternal Kingdom, the New Jerusalem.

You assume that the Father’s delineation of authority somehow suggests Jesus is a lesser being than the Father but this is not true or accurate. Jesus has never been a lesser Deity than the Father as Jesus is the same yesterday, today, forever (Hebrews 13:8).
I’m not sure what cult or sect you’ve involved yourself in, perhaps the cult of the Jehovah’s Witness, but you are far from the Kingdom. You might have a nice little religion but you and yours don’t know Jesus.

Would a Just and Loving God send anyone to Hell?

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Would a Just and Righteous God really reject anyone from the Kingdom of Heaven?

“Nothing impure will ever enter the Kingdom of God” (Rev 21:27); therefore, it is the arrogance of man that questions the justice of our righteous Creator who extricated His most beautiful creatures, the angelic, for disobedience while assuming our Creator will overlook the same transgressions of mankind.

Mankind has but ONE alternative to divine Judgment and the second death in Hell; that is, faith-belief-trust in Jesus our Messiah as one’s Savior who took upon Himself our transgressions, our sin, and paid the penalty for sin, death, as Jesus shed His innocent blood as atonement, payment, for the curse of sin and death.

18 knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, 19 but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ.

What is “Substitutionary Atonement?”

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What is “Substitutionary Atonement” provided by Jesus our Messiah?

Substitutionary Atonement is first pictured for human kind in Genesis 3:21 subsequent Adam’s compromise with evil, disobedience, at the behest of his wife, Eve.

Elohim, Himself, shed innocent blood and clothed Adam and his wife, Eve, the representatives of human kind, in an imputed, gifted, robe of righteousness in order to cover their sin and shame while Elohim simultaneously rejected Adam’s vain attempt at self-righteousness, works, to cover his own shame via the application of fig leaves. This is the first picture of the Gospel of Grace in Scripture.

Genesis 3:15 prophesies that One would come from the seed of the woman, not the seed of the man which carries and passes the Adamic sin-nature (Romans 5:12), and this anointed One would enter into conflict with Satan and defeat Satan. Genesis 3:21, as noted above, was to be the “battle strategy” by which the Anointed One, born of the seed of the woman, would defeat the works of Satan; that is, shedding innocent blood and thereby providing blood atonement for the covering of sin for all who would believe that Messiah had accomplished this divine imperative.

The Mosaic Law of blood sacrifices (Leviticus 17:11) modeled this prophecy where a spotless lamb would be slain for the sins of Israel’s children in recognition of the “Passover” where the blood of a lamb was painted on the door posts and lintel signaling to the “death angel” to “pass over” that home and spare the first born child which essentially freed the Hebrew slaves in Egypt.

These prophecies all came to fruition 4000-years subsequent Genesis 3:21 outside the Gates of Jerusalem in a place called “Golgotha” or “the place of the skull.” It was here that Jesus, “the spotless Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the World” (John 1:29) offered Himself as a substitutionary “blood atonement” for the sin of mankind (Matthew 26:27-28).

The focus of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is that anyone who believes that Jesus is the Messiah who died, who shed His innocent blood, for the atonement of their sin, the forgiveness of their sin, the one so believing receives eternal life (John 3:16)

We know that “nothing impure is permitted to enter the Kingdom of God” (Revelation 21:27) and we are commanded to be perfect as the Father in Heaven is perfect (Matthew 5:48). We also know that no one can be perfected by vain attempts to keep the Laws or traditions or days or diets of the Old Covenant because one violation of the Law makes the transgressor guilty of violating all Law (James 2:10); therefore, how does one born of Adam’s sin-nature (Romans 5:12) find “perfection” and acceptance by God/Elohim the Father?

Answer: Substitutionary Atonement

The Holy Spirit explains how one attains perfection in the Father’s eyes in Paul’s letter to the Church at Corinth (2 Corinthians 5:21). When one believes that Jesus is Messiah who died for them, the Father imputes, gifts, the righteousness and perfection of Jesus over their life, eternally, and the Father agrees by New Covenant promise (Hebrews 8:12) to remember their sins no more; in other words, the Father promises to not see the sins of those who have trusted in Jesus as Messiah, the Spotless Lamb without sin, but the Father only sees the Son’s perfection over them and the Father declares them “not guilty” and welcomes them into the Family of Elohim while Sealing and Guaranteeing this divine promise through the gifting of the indwelling Holy Spirit, forever (Ephesians 1:13-14).

Christians, believers in Jesus as Messiah, are gifted the righteousness of Jesus over their life by Covenant promise thereby making the believer positionally “perfect” in the Father’s eyes, not by works, or efforts, strivings, of the Christian but as a Gift of Grace through Faith in the divine, spotless Lamb of God, Jesus Christ our Messiah (1 Peter 1:18-19).

Innocent substitute. Replaced fig leave of human righteousness.

What governs your mind and how it functions?

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Atheist asked: “What governs your mind and how it functions?”

1) If you’re a natural man (1 Corinthians 2:14) living by the Adamic sin-nature (Romans 5:12), your conscience is the arbiter of the eternal, spiritual, law written upon your heart at conception (Romans 2:14-15). This is the path to deception and self-destruction via unmitigated diminishing returns (Jeremiah 17:9; Romans 1:18-32).

2) If you’re a spiritual man living by the anointing and instruction of the indwelling Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:16), the Spirit is the Arbiter of your conscience and He is your Law and Authority in daily Christian sanctification (Ephesians 1:13-14). When one walks by the Spirit and not the flesh, they are methodically taught to produce divine fruit (Galatians 5:16-23) that fulfills all moral law and honors God the Father while proving one to be a faithful disciple of Jesus (John 15:8).

Does God hear the prayers of an Atheist?

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Does God hear the prayers of Atheists?

If you have denied the love of Jesus and turned your back on His death for your redemption, you do NOT belong to the Father (1 John 2:23), you are NOT family and the ONLY prayer of a belligerent sinner that enter the Father’s presence for consideration is a prayer of repentance and faith in Jesus as your Messiah; otherwise, until divine relationship is established with the Father by faith in Jesus and the Holy Spirit takes up residence within you as the Seal and Guarantor of New Covenant promise (Ephesians 1:13-14), your prayers are impotent as you belong to Satan and you serve Satan with your heart, mind, soul, you are an obstinate enemy of the Gospel and the will of Elohim concerning His war with the demonic (John 8:44). It is the one who does God’s will that He hears and responds too (John 6:29).

James 5:16 The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. Proverbs 1:28 Then they will call on me, but I will not answer; They will seek me diligently, but they will not find me. 29 Because they hated knowledge And did not choose the fear of the LORD,

Why does God want to the worshiped?

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Why does our Creator desire constant worship? Why is our Creator concerned about our choices in this life?

It’s not that our Creator desires constant worship but that the human mind which is stayed on Him is sustainable through the storms of life and ultimately finds victory in death. Human Kind was created to worship…mankind will worship something…either himself or another person or a thing or a possession…humanity will always worship as worship is integral to the spirit of man; therefore, focusing on the worship of the One who created us ensures a life of peace and joy and understanding…worshiping anything else ensures self-destruction and hopelessness via diminishing returns. The only Entity that will pacify the longings of the soul of man is Jesus and the presence of the indwelling Holy Spirit who is our Comforter and our Peace and our Truth (John 14:6; John 14:16-21). There is victory in Jesus over the trials of this life and our concerns about life in Eternity.

Who created God, Elohim (Genesis 1:1)

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Who created God, Elohim (Genesis 1:1)?

One “flaw” in the human existence, as we’re temporarily constrained by Time and physics via the flesh, is an error that suggests only that which is apprehended by the human sensory system is real or “exists.” Few minds venture beyond this error to consider the possibility of a Realm that exists outside the finite Realm of Time, a Realm that is infinitely superior to the Realm of Time, one that has no genesis and no conclusion, a Realm inhabited by creatures not constrained by atoms or atrophy or physics or Time.

Jesus, our Creator (John 1; Hebrews 1; Colossians 1), tells you that His Kingdom is NOT of this Realm and the Holy Spirit tells us that the atom, the constituent elements of matter, find their genesis in a Realm that is “not seen” with the human eye. Personally, I believe Jesus and I believe the Holy Spirit. Fact is, our Creator has no genesis nor will He experience atrophy or a conclusion to His eternal existence as Elohim.

James v. Paul: Works v. Faith, alone?

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James v. Paul: Works v. Faith, alone?

James teaches that saving faith, once established by faith in Jesus as Messiah, will demonstrate its legitimacy through the production of divine fruit that is produced via obedience to the indwelling Holy Spirit gifted to all who believe that Jesus is Messiah (Ephesians 1:13-14; John 15:8; Galatians 5:16-23). New Covenant Relationship with the Father through faith in Jesus as Messiah is established first, works or the production of divine fruit that follows divine relationship verifies the legitimacy of one’s faith.

Paul via the Spirit’s inspiration, teaches that salvation, righteousness, or a right standing with the Father, are NOT acquired through works or human effort but by faith alone (Romans 4:4-5). Paul is NOT suggesting that obedience or works that follow salvation are irrelevant but that relationship through faith must be established first then the works done through the Spirit will follow.

No one is saved from the 2nd death in Hell by works or self righteous efforts to please the Father (Galatians 2:16); only the imputed, gifted, righteousness of Jesus over your life by faith in Him as your Messiah will allow you to enter into New Covenant forgiveness with the Father (2 Corinthians 5:21; John 14:6; Hebrews 8:12).

Jesus provides an example,

Jesus emphasized the divine relevance of “relationship” with the Father through faith in the Son, FIRST, in Matthew 7:21-23. The works of those condemned in Jesus’ teaching were not evil but the honorable works were rejected and the workers condemned because the workers had not first established “New Covenant” relationship with the Father by faith in the Son. The works done were done through human effort, the flesh, and were therefore rejected as a filthy garment (Isaiah 64:6). Jesus likewise responded “Depart from me you workers of iniquity, I never knew you.” Our works are meaningless lest we are members of the Father’s family first through faith in the Son, Jesus our Messiah!

Now to the one who works, his wage is not credited as a favor, but as what is due. 5 But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness,

What is the difference between salvation, justification, sanctification?

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Topic: The differences between salvation, justification, and sanctification.

When one enters into New Covenant relationship with the Father through faith in Jesus, they are saved (receive a divine pardon – salvation) from the “second death” in Hell (John 3); they are “justified” (Romans 5:1) through the imputation, gifting, of Jesus’ righteousness over their life and are therefore declared “not guilty” by the Father via New Covenant promise (Hebrews 8:12; 2 Corinthians 5:21); they are sanctified or “set apart” from the World via the new birth by the indwelling Holy Spirit who anoints them with power from on High in order to walk daily in obedience via Christian sanctification relevant to producing divine fruit that fulfills all law and honors the Father while proving one to be a disciple of Jesus (John 17:17; Galatians 5:16-23; John 15:8).

Christians and the Sabbath Observance

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Christians and the Sabbath Observance, what is Truth?

Jesus is the fulfillment of all the Sabbath edict foreshadowed (Colossians 2:16).

Acknowledging, believing, that Jesus is Messiah who died for you is fulfilling the intent of the Sabbath edict (Matthew 11:28) given solely to Israel’s children and those gentiles who sought the benefits of that Theocracy.

Christian’s don’t pursue laws-days-diets-traditions, Christian’s walk by the tutelage and anointing of the indwelling Holy Spirit and produce fruit that honors the Father (John 15:8; Galatians 5:16-23).

With that said, if you want to keep or observe a day or a diet or a tradition as a Christian, that’s OK as long as you understand that your observance does NOT ingratiate yourself with the Father or the Son or the Spirit…if your observance makes you feel closer to Elohim, more spiritual, and binds you with Him and His purposes, definitely partake in the observance knowing that your works or observance are NOT integral with New Covenant promise but that only your faith and trust in Jesus as Messiah and the work of the Spirit through you are relevant to your relationship with the Father via New Covenant promise (Galatians 2:16).

Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. 6 The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. The one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God, while the one who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God. Romans 14:5-6 ESV .