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QUESTION 16 A human god? "The Scriptures teach that Jesus was fully God while also being fully human. Paul declared of Jesus, "For in Him all the fullness of deity dwells in bodily form" (Colossians 2:9). Because Jesus is both fully God and fully man, He stands in a unique relationship in the Trinity to the Father and the Holy Spirit." (Jesus: A Biblical Defense of his Deity, Josh McDowell & Bart Larson, Campus Crusade For Christ, 1983, pg 65). "The Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God, and yet there are not three Gods but one God." This Pauline fabrication is so well embedded in today's teachings of Christianity, "Jesus is God", or "Jesus is Lord" is the number one motto. It is claimed that "Jesus shares the nature of God, and he is in every way like God. " In the next few pages we will replace the word "Jesus" with "God". This will illustrate the inherent contradiction in the Athanasian Creed quoted above. Our intention is not to insult anyone; but rather to invite Christians to reflect on the Bible and follow Jesus Christ, Son of Mary, so that Jesus will not denounce them (Matthew 7:23). As you see, the doctrine of Trinity, which was fabricated by Paul, and influenced the authors of the Gospels is an insult to God Almighty and to the intelligence of men. The Birth of "God" "God" was created from the seed of David: "Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh." (Romans 1:3) The ancestors of "God": "The generations of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham." (Matthew 1:1) The sex of "God": "And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called Jesus." (Luke 2:21) How Mary conceived and delivered "God": "The days were accomplished that she should be delivered," (Luke 2:6). "And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered." (Revelation 12:2) "God" sucked the paps of a woman: "And it came to pass, as he spake these things, a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice, and said unto him, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked." (Luke 11:27) The country of "God": Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king." (Matthew 2:1) The occupation of "God": "Jesus was a carpenter by trade (Mark 6:3), and the son of a carpenter." (Matthew 13:55) The transport of "God": "Behold, the King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass." (Matthew 21:5). "And Jesus, when he had found a young ass, sat thereon." (John 12:14) The wining and dining "God": " The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners." (Matthew 11:19; Luke 7:34) The poverty of "God": "And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head." (Matthew 8:20). "God" was a devout Jew: "And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed." (Mark 1:35) The Family of "God" "God" was the son of Joseph: "... Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph." (John 1:45) Brother of "God": "But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord's brother." (Galatians 1:19 and Matthew 13:54-56) Mother of "God": "Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother's sister, ..." (John 19:25) The Development of "God" Spiritual development of "God": "And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom." (Luke 2:40) Mental and moral development of "God": "And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, ..." (Luke 2:52) The confession and repentance of "God": Before the beginning of his public ministry, "Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist (Matthew 3:13), which signified the confession of sins (Matthew 3:6), and repentance from sins (Matthew 3:11). "God" was twelve years old when his parents took him to Jerusalem: "Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the passover. and when he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem after the custom of the feast." (Lk. 2:41-42) The powerless "God": Jesus said, "I can of mine own self do nothing." (John 5:30) "God" was ignorant of the hour: Jesus said, "But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father." (Mark 13:32) "God" was ignorant of the season: "And on the morrow, when they were come from Bethany, he (Jesus) was hungry: And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might find anything thereon: and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for the time of figs was not yet." (Mark 11:12-13) "God" was unlettered: "Now about the midst of the feast Jesus went up into the temple, and taught. And the Jews marvelled, saying, How knoweth this man letters, having never learned?" (John 7:14-15) "God" learned through experience: "Learned he obedience by the things which he suffered." (Hebrews 5:8) The Tempting Of "God" The devil tempted "God" for 40 days: "And immediately the spirit driveth him into the wilderness. And he was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan." (Mark 1:12-13) The devil tempted "God" continuously: "And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season." (Luke 4:13) Like the sinners, "God" was tempted in all things: " But (he) was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin." (Hebrews 4:15) True God cannot be tempted with evil: "God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempeth he any man." (James 1:13) Only the ungodly are tempted with evil: "But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own last, and enticed." (James 1:14) The Racial "God" "God" was a tribal Jew: "The Lion of the tribe of Juda." (Revelation 5:5) "God" came for the Jews only: "But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel." (Matthew 15:24) Racial discrimination of "God": "These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." (Matthew 10:5-6) The kingdom of "God": "And he (Jesus) shall reign over the house of Jacob forever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end." (Luke 1:33) The titles of "God": "The King of the Jews". (Matthew 2:2); "The King of Israel". (John 1:49; 12:13) A "God" Unlike the God A hungry "God": "Now in the morning as he returned into the city, he hungered." (Matthew 21:18). "And on the morrow, when they were come from Bethany, he was hungry." (Mark 11:12) A thirsty "God": "(He) saith, I thirst." (John 19:28) A sleepy "God": "He was asleep." (Matthew 8:24). "He fell asleep." (Luke 8:23). "And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow." (Mark 4:38) A weary "God": "Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well." (John 4:6) A groaning "God": " He groaned in the spirit, and was troubled." (John 11:33). "Jesus therefore again groaning in himself cometh to the grave." (John 11:38) A weeping "God": "Jesus wept." (John 11:35) A sorrowing "God": "And (he) began to be sorrowful and very heavy. Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death." (Matthew 26:37-38) A hysterical "God": "And (he) began to be sore amazed and to be very heavy." (Mark 14:33) A weak "God": "And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him." (Luke 22:43) The "God" of war: Jesus said: "Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword." (Matthew 10:34) A "God" cursing a tree: "And when he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward forever. And presently the fig tree withered away." (Matthew 21:19) A "God" who did not want to be called "good": "And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God." (Matthew 10:18) A "God" who was servant of God: "Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall shew judgment to the Gentiles." (Matthew 12:18) A "God" who was prophet of God: "And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people:" (Luke 24:19) The "God" On the Run "God" was panic-stricken: "After these things Jesus walked in Galilee: for he would not walk in Jewry, because the Jews sought to kill him." (John 7:1) "God" walked in fear of the Jews: "Then from that day forth they took counsel together for to put him to death. Jesus therefore walked no more openly among the Jews." (John 11:53-54) "God" has shown a clean pair of heels: "Therefore they sought again to take him: but he escaped out of their hand." (John 10:39) "God" fled in disguise: "At this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple grounds." (John 8:59) The Capture of "God" A friend betrayed the hiding place of "God": "And Judas also, which betrayed him, knew the place: for Jesus oft-times resorted thither with his disciples. Judas then, having received a band of men and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, cometh thither with lanterns and torches and weapons." (John 18:2-3) "God" was arrested, bound and led away: "Then the band and the captain and officers of the Jews took Jesus, and bound him, and led him away." (John 18:12-13) "God" was humiliated: "And the men that hold Jesus mocked him, and smote him. And when they had blindfolded him, they struck him on the face." (Luke 22:63:64). "Then did they spit in his face, and buffeted him; and others smote him with the palms of their hands." (Matthew 26:67) "God" was defenseless: "One of the officers which stood by struck Jesus with the palm of his hand", he said, "Why smitest thou me?" (John 18:22-23) "God" was condemned to death: "And they all condemned him to be guilty of death." (Mark 14:64). "They answered and said, He is guilty of death" (Matthew 26:66). The dumb and docile "God": "He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth" (Acts 8:32). The cursed "God" by God: "Christ had redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hanged on a tree" (Galatians 3:13). The End of "God" The dying "God": "And Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up the ghost" (Mark 15:37). The dead "God" : "Christ died" (Romans 5:6). "He was dead" (John 19:33). The corpse of "God": "He (Joseph) went to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered." (Matthew 27:58) The shroud of "God": "And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth." (Matthew 27:59) What is your problem? The verses that we have quoted from the New Testament leaves no doubt that Jesus was a human being like us, he neither shared the nature of God nor was he in every way like God. But, he was selected by God Almighty as a messenger to confirm the message of previous messengers which can be summarized in a single statement: "Worship God Alone." But the zealot followers of the "Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee" (The Acts 23:6) will still try to make Jesus an incarnated God. To prove their claim, they show several distorted or mistranslated verses. They sometimes shock you with bizarre interpretations. They mention miracles of Jesus without thinking about miracles of previous messengers (Exodus 7:10; 2 Kings 13:21 etc.). They try to create the doctrine of Trinity from the birth of Jesus, forgetting that Adam was created without father and mother (I Corinthians 15:45; I Timothy 2:13), and that Sarah gave birth to Isaac while she was barren (Genesis 11:30; 17:17-19). A divine oxymoron? Many qualities of God and human being are just the opposite, like day and night. While God, by definition, is Omnipresent, human being is not. God is Omnipotent, human being is not. God is Omniscient, the human being is not. God is the Creator, the human being is His creation. God is perfect, but the human being is not. God knows the future, but the human being does not. Thus, one cannot be both God and human. Oxymora are used in art and literature for special effect. However, clergy has based its entire teaching on a divine oxymoron similar to Hermes, Pan, Poseidon and Aphrodete of Greek mythology. So, 1. Was Jesus a "human God" or a "God human"? Was he acting like humans while he was Lord, or was he acting like God while he was a human? 2. Can you show me a single unequivocal statement in the Bible where Jesus claims to be God, or where he says "worship me?" (Mark 13:32; John 14:28; 1 Corin 15:28) 3. Why are the verses that we quoted above not enough to convince you that Jesus was a human prophet? 4. How do you explain the obvious contradiction between Mark 1:12-13; Luke 4:13; Hebrews 4:15 which claim that Jesus was tempted by Satan and James 1:13 which claims that "God cannot be tempted with evil"? Furthermore, what about "But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed." (James 1:14)? Was Jesus drawn away of his own lust, and enticed? 5. What kind of divine wisdom do you find in cursing a fig tree which could not give fruit before the season? What was the crime of that tree? 6. Did Mary give birth to "God"? Then, according to this information Mary was the mother of God (as the Catholic church still officially say in its liturgy), and at the same time the creation of God! Can you accept this "logic"? 7. Was Jesus created? If your answer is "no," then Jesus was not a human; if your answer is "yes," then he was not God. 8. You claim that Jesus was a perfect man. A man can never be perfect. God is the only perfect one. If he was a perfect man, for instance, he should have demonstrated an examplary matrimony. Is marriage a satanic institution? 9. Jesus was exercising his so-called divine power anytime he wanted or needed. Was he still fully human? |
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