Jump to content
GreaseSpot Cafe

Who is Jesus? By John Lynn


Recommended Posts

I thought you all would enjoy this article by John Lynn - JALCES@aol.com

He posted it on his website http://www.TruthOrTradition.com

Who Is Jesus Christ?

We believe that Jesus Christ is a completely unique (one of a kind) human being.

Why?

He is the only man who was ever born of a virgin (Matt. 1:18; Luke 1:35). God put a perfect seed in the womb of Mary so that Jesus would be born without the sin nature that every other human being inherited from the First Adam. Therefore, Jesus is the only-begotten Son of God (John 3:16) and the Son of Man (John 5:27).

He is the only man who is called “the Last Adam” (1 Cor. 15:45). As the only-begotten Son of God, Jesus was the genetic equivalent to the first “Son of God,” Adam (Luke 3:38). As the only man born without inherent sin, Jesus was thus the only man equipped to be the Savior and Redeemer of mankind.

He is the only man who had perfect faith in God, and who, by his free will choices to trust God, lived a sinless life, always doing the will of his Father (John 8:29). Jesus was not a robot, programmed to obey God. If so, he could not have been genuinely tempted to sin, just like all men he came to save (Heb. 4:15). The absence of a sin nature was not the reason why Jesus did not sin. We know that because the First Adam also had no sin nature, and he sinned royally.

He is the only man who died as the perfect sacrifice for our sins (Heb. 10:12-14; 1 John 4:10). By his virgin birth, Jesus was the “genetically” perfect sacrifice for the sin of mankind. By his lifelong obedience to God, all the way to his dying breath on the Cross, he became the “behaviorally” perfect sacrifice for the sins of mankind (Heb. 2:17). Thus, he was the complete propitiation for fallen men to be redeemed.

He is the only man God ever raised from the dead in order to confirm that he was who he had said he was—the Son of God (Acts 17:31; Rom. 1:4). The resurrection of Jesus Christ was God keeping His promise to His Son, and also His affirmation to all men that Jesus is “the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6).

He is the only man whom God highly exalted as “Lord” and “Head of the Church,” and to whom God has given all authority in heaven and on earth (Dan. 7:13-14; Phil. 2:9; Acts 2:36; Eph. 1:22; Matt. 28:18). As Pharaoh exalted Joseph to his right hand and gave him all authority in Egypt (Gen. 41:37-46), so God has given Jesus functional equality with Himself. Jesus Christ is now God’s “right hand man” (Eph. 1:20), carrying out the work that will eventually restore this fallen world.

He is the only man who is now the Mediator between God and mankind (1 Tim. 2:5). It is Jesus Christ to whom God has given the power to “save to the uttermost” all who call upon his name, because he ever lives to make intercession for us (Heb. 7:25).

He is the only man who will gather together all Christians to meet him “in the air” (1 Thess. 4:17) and give each one a new body like his own (Phil. 3:21). As the promised “seed” of the woman (Gen. 3:15), Jesus Christ will produce fruit after his kind, a race of people living forever.

He is the only man who will one day return to the earth, destroy all evil men (and eventually destroy Satan and his evil spirit cohorts), and rule the earth as King for 1000 years (Rev. 19:11-20:7). At his first coming to the earth to Israel, Jesus was the sacrificial Lamb of God, but he will come again as the Lion of Judah to save his people, Israel, and destroy all God’s enemies.

He is the only man who will raise from the dead every human being who has ever lived (John 5:21, 25). As God has given Jesus “life in himself,” so he will raise up all people.

He is the only man who will judge all men and women of all time (John 5:22, 27). Jesus will righteously judge all people, granting everlasting life to those who deserve it, and annihilating all the wicked (Acts 17:31; John 5:28, 29).

He is the only man who will restore on a new earth the Paradise that the First Adam lost (1 Cor. 15:24-28). As “the Last Adam,” Jesus was God’s Contingency Plan to salvage His original plan that Adam’s disobedience thwarted, that is, a perfect race of people living forever on a perfect earth. Amen.

He is the only man who is our Savior, our Redeemer, our Mediator, our Lord, our constant Companion, our Best Friend, our Big Brother, the Light of our lives, our Peace, our Joy, and our Mentor in the art of faith.

He is the Lover of our souls, and that is why we love him and confess him as Lord (Rom. 10:9).

Taken from:

http://www.TruthOrTradition.com

By John Lynn

Feel free to contact him by e-mail at: JALCES@aol.com

or call him at: 317-557-3776

:-)

He would love to hear from you!

Jeff

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm glad I'm not the only one who saw Pharoah giving the signet ring to

Joseph as a "power-of-attorney", and saw a similarity to the authority

given Jesus Christ.

(Someone once told me the concept of the "power-of-attorney" was unknown

in Jesus' time. Since it was in effect in Genesis, that would have been

strange.)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

CES' Mere Super-Cool, Sinless, Unique Human Being

In Jeff's post it is obvious that JAL and those he speaks for characterize Jesus Christ as a mere "genetic equivalent" of Adam who managed to distinguish himself from Adam by always making good "free will choices." It follows, of course, from such a view that Adam, had he always made good "free will choices," could have been everything Jesus Christ is.

The view of Christ CES pushes is that he was a "unique human being," and not the unique Son of God.

*****

Scripture's Unique Son of God

"It is a startling thing to believe with Jesus that God has a Son -- and one and only begotten Son. So focus on this for a moment. Don't fly over it because it's so commonplace. It is amazing and wonderful and mind-boggling -- and oh so crucial for our salvation from perishing.

"In calling the Son of God 'only begotten' Jesus means to distinguish the only begotten Son of God from sons who are made or adopted as sons. The angels are called 'sons of God' (Job 1:6), and we Christians are called 'sons of God' (Rom. 8:14-16). Angels are 'sons of God' by virtue of being directly created by God; and Christians are 'sons of God' by virtue of being adopted into his family through our being joined to Christ by the Holy Spirit.

"But the 'one and only begotten Son' is not a Son by creation or by adoption, but by begetting. And begetting is simply a human analogy for what is beyond our comprehension. But it carries a crucial truth, as C.S. Lewis said: 'Rabbits beget rabbits; horses beget horses; humans beget humans, not statues or portraits; and God begets God -- not humans and not angels.[']

"God's only begotten Son is God. And there never was a time when God had not begotten his Son. Because the begetting of the Son is equally eternal with the existence of the God the Father. The standing forth of the Son as a perfect, personal image and representation and equal of the Father so that they exist as two persons with one divine essence is simply what it means to be God. This is the way God has existed from all eternity, without beginning. This is the point of John 1:1,14,

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God . . . And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.

"In other words, the Word, Jesus, is the only begotten Son, and co-eternal with the Father..

"There is God. And God has a one and only begotten Son."

-- John Piper, The Design: Love

(From http://www.desiringgod.org/library/sermons/94/121194.html.)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Another great similarity between PharaohJoseph and GodJesus is in Genesis 41:45

And Pharaoh called Joseph's name Zaph-nath-paaneah......

Bullinger's footnote says: "This, too, is not Hebrew, but Egyptian. Zap=abundance; nt (nath)=of; pa=the; aneh=life.

The whole name=abundance of life, or, of food for the living.

Kinda reminds you of Jesus' reason for coming, John 10:10

I too believe that Joseph was a type of the Christ and his story strongly shows us Jesus' relationship with God his father and the authoriy given Jesus and how he operates today.

IMHO

Link to comment
Share on other sites

quote:
The view of Christ CES pushes is that he was a "unique human being," and not the unique Son of God.

Baloney, but please hold the mayo. Even Wierwille stressed that Jesus was the Son of God. One of the first chapters of his book is nothing but scripture references, over 50, pertaining to Jesus being the Son of God. I no longer have a copy of Wierwille's book, because I think that the CES book, "One God and One Lord", is better so please don't ask me to quote from it.

However, I do disagree with CES's spin on Administrations. I was going to write the 3 CES leaders telling my views. However, I got side tracked with other projects. Maybe at a later time. In short, the much more scriputural teachings of covenants between God and man much more adequately explains the changing relationship between God and man and its effect on histories time periods. This also glorifies God more which is another problem with the CES administrations teaching which sometimes does not. Even picking up your bible and seeing Old Testament (Covenant) and New Testament (Covenant) tells us that this is far more pertanent than CES's ideas on administrations.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

CES like other Christian groups teach that Jesus is the Son of God and Saviour of mankind. Isn't that better than using the word unique in describing Jesus? Isn't being the saviour of mankind unique? It sounds like you are striving about words Cynic. The word you are striving over is the word unique. Sorry I don't have any CES material in front of me to see if they have adequately used the word unique. Have a nice day. It is sunny out now in California. What am I doing in front of my monitor?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Stop shuffling, Mark, and demonstrate something.

What, in CES' view -- or yours -- is there about the sense in which Jesus Christ is Son of God that is categorically so different from that sense in which Adam was the Son of God that Jesus Christ is said to be God's unique or only begotten Son?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Okay, Mark,

Can't demonstrate it from CES' materials? Demonstrate it of your own view, in your own words.

You have not demonstrated it. Your affirmation that there is no other savior but Jesus concerns his relation to men, not the sense in which he is the unique or only begotten Son of God.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Jeff,

Do you care to try demonstrating how the view of Christ promoted by CES' principals involves a recognition -- rather than entails the denial -- that Jesus Christ is the unique or only begotten Son of God?

If you cannot demonstrate it, maybe you could fetch one or more of CES' principals to attempt to demonstrate it.

Edited by Cynic
Link to comment
Share on other sites

It was beautiful out there. The bike ride I was just on was invigorating as well as being strenuous. The hill I live on is a real killer coming back, but I made it again without stopping.

O.K. I can give my view on that. However, it will have to wait until tomorrow or the next day. I would prefer to quote from scripture and my excellent bible software is not on the computer that I am using now. However, it is on my office computer and I will be back at work tomorrow.

Cheers.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Another similarity.

Joseph was given complete rule of the kingdom and Joseph would do what was needed. But there were times when pharaoh would step in and over rule Joseph; and Joseph gracefully obeyed.

I believe Jesus does the same today, as head of the body.

Rev. 1:1 shows that he received the revelation from God and then Jesus decided to send an angel, instead of himself personally delivering the message.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My work load is very heavy now and I am a little worried that I will be able to get everything done that I need to. However, below is some basic scripture on only begotten and Jesus the only begotten Son of God. "Only begotten" is Strong's number 3439 and is monogenees in the Greek. There are 9 usages of this word in the New Testament with scriptures below. I will comment on this when I get a little more time. Until then all the usages are here for anyone to view and comment on.

John 1:14

14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

NKJV

John 1:18

18 No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.

NKJV

John 3:16

16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

NKJV

John 3:18

18 He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

NKJV

Heb 11:17

17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,

NKJV

1 John 4:9

9 In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.

NKJV

Luke 7:12

12 And when He came near the gate of the city, behold, a dead man was being carried out, the only son of his mother; and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the city was with her.

NKJV

Luke 8:42

42 for he had an only daughter about twelve years of age, and she was dying. But as He went, the multitudes thronged Him.

NKJV

Luke 9:38

38 Suddenly a man from the multitude cried out, saying, "Teacher, I implore You, look on my son, for he is my only child.

NKJV

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Do any of you men have children? Sons maybe?

If so, what are they, are they monkeys? are they

some representation of you, but not quite the same as you...human? Why is it so difficult to accept that the Son of God would be what His Father is, a God? When Jesus was Born Again...The Ressurection, that's when He got a new body. His body was like His Father's Body...A God Body.

When we are Born Again, at the Ressurection, or if we are so lucky to have it happen when Jesus comes back...we will be changed, born again physically, and be given a new body, like His new body...and be Gods, like them.

When Jesus was on earth, he had a body like Adam...sinless, immortal, but not quite God...after his likeness, but not after his kind, remember. How's that for a can of worms.

Bring it on,

Rachel

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Awright Rachel! But I don't quite know where to start. How about this? (Imagine me posing this like the 'Church Chat' lady from SNL):

"Rachel, and who do you think said you'll become like gods? Hmmm? Could it be...mmm....SATAN???"

I don't say that to be ugly, i just couldn't resist after I got the picture of the lady saying that. icon_smile.gif:)-->I'll be eager to hear others' comments on the subject. When it comes to Godhead, a subject of which NOBODY here has personal experience, people love to make definitive, open-and-shut, that-settles-it, kind of statements. Don't they?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Rachel,

Is "God" a substance, or a title?

I call my father "Dad". Dad had a son. Is that son also "Dad"? A "Dad"?

Let's say Dad is an airline pilot. Will his son also be an airline pilot?

Will he share in the "airline pilot nature"?

Saying that a SON of God is necessarily God is no different from saying

a son of an airline pilot is necessarily an airline pilot.

At least you carried your other logic to its conclusion.

If Jesus, Son of God, became a god/godling/demigod at his resurrection,

then when WE are transformed, we will also be godlings, we "will also

be as gods". Please examine your conclusion carefully. You should notice

that it's flawed, which means that your reasoning to get there is flawed.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Pretty good start...

The logic would be flawed if...I was supposing that the son would have the same job as the father, but I am referring to seed...your son is what you are, not what you do. You are human, your son is human, not a monkey or whatever the %#@*. If it was that easy, free will to keep the commandments(Love Jesus) or not wouldnt be an issue here.

Also, Jesus said, that He said we are gods, but we shall die like men, Psalm 82:6, John 10:34. As to the them becoming like God, what Satan said was, "God knows that when you eat this, you eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be AS gods, knowing good and evil.

Satan didnt lie here. That happened.

So it is probably same to assume, logically that gods know the diff between good and evil.

It's up to us to decide which we are going to do.

Rachel

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So,

based on your reply,

you ARE saying that "God" is a PROPERTY, a SUBSTANCE,

"Godness", if you will, of which God is composed?

Therefore, producing after His kind would produce an offspring

composed of "Godness"?

"Your son is what you are, not what you do."

"Why is it so difficult to accept that the Son of God would be what

His Father is, a God?"

Looks like that's EXACTLY what you're saying, to me.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wordwolf or more to Rachel

I do not think just because a father is God the Son is as well. using your logic Rachel

some sons are very very differnt than their fathers even in name sake and we would not recognize the relation unless told it was so.

so we can not assume, also it is the spirit that impregnated Mary of which God is a Spirit .. so maybe God didnt use all of his marks as the ONLY God and creator. for example my daughter has blonde hair and her father has jet black hair so some stuff came from somewhere eles.. namely Mary his mother. or a long lost relative down the line of birth order.

We are not clones as humans no one has the same code to reproduce the same again.

Aslo spirit is spirit , it does not work as the flesh, and It is clearly written we can not know God His ways are far above ours and etc.. so we do not know how he contributed to the making of Jesus christ really.

it was a miricle , without much definition .

so to assume Jesus Father is so jesus must be is the same is not very logical on many fronts.

the bible state man was made in His image so all of us Look like God in some manner but does that mean we have the title God ?

the idea of God as a title: my father is a dr. yet I can not say well Im a dr. as well because my dad is.

Because Jesus Christs father created the world does not mean he is also capable of such.

Edited by mj412
Link to comment
Share on other sites

wordwolf...

you are human, after the kind, or seed, right?

your children are human, after your kind, of seed, right?

so...if God had a son (and He does) after His Kind, or seed, what would it be?

This is easy, connect the dots. It's not rocket science.

Rachel

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's not rocket science, but it's not theology either icon_razz.gif:P-->

Your theory, Rachel, might be correct if God was reproducing like a human or animal does. God didn't have sex with Mary in order to produce a God-man hybrid.

Something else to keep in mind: God is spirit, so, according to your "after his seed" logic, then Jesus shouild be spirit too, right? Or at least half spirit, since Mary was human. But isn't it true that he did not receive the spirit until his 30th year?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

×
×
  • Create New...