God Died on the Cross

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Is it correct to say God died on the cross?


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Rach1370

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Apr 17, 2010
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That's a bit of a tricky question! Because if we believe that Jesus was fully God as well as fully man at the same time, then I suppose you could say 'yes'...as Jesus really died. But we also know that God cannot die as He is immortal and all powerful. He's also impassible, which basically means He cannot suffer or be acted upon by an outside source. So I don't know where that leaves us. I'm not gonna vote, cause I think this could be one of those 'do I look fat?' questions!
 

Groundzero

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Jul 20, 2011
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I put forward this:
God doesn't die
Rev_15:7 And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever.

Jesus Christ/Son of God obviously died. That is what Scripture stated.


2Co_5:15 And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.
1Th_4:14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
And there's plenty more that state Jesus Christ died literally.

The key is that Jesus was both man and God. When he died, his deity couldn't die, but his humanity could. If you notice, nowhere in Scripture does it actually say God died. It always states Christ (Jesus' humanity) or other terms referring to Jesus in the flesh. Jesus' humanity died, but his supreme deity never did. It would therefore be incorrect to declare that God died, since God cannot die, but we can say that Jesus Christ died because his humanity did die!
 

dragonfly

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Apr 19, 2012
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Hi Rach and Groundzero,

I hate what look like 'trick questions', so I'm not going to vote either, but do have one Bible verse to share.

Gz said
If you notice, nowhere in Scripture does it actually say God died.

It is definitely God's blood which was shed at Calvary, both as a living and a dead sacrifice. The life is in the blood.

Acts 20:28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.
 

Mungo

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May 23, 2012
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Historically in Christianity death is the separation of body and soul. The body becomes corrupt but the soul lives on.

On the cross therefore Jesus died because his human body and human soul separated. The person, Jesus, was God (second person of the Trinity) and therefore it is correct to say that God died on the cross.

However his divine person remained united to his human body as well as his human soul. So perhaps we can say that God (the Son) in his divinity did not die, but God (the Son) in his humanity did experience death. However as we cannot separate Jesus’ divinity and his humanity it is correct to say that God died on the cross.
 

Butch5

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Oct 24, 2009
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Is it correct to say God died on the cross?

I take the negative.

I thinkg we need clarification. The word "theos" translated God means deity or divinity. It's mostly used of the Father but is sometimes used of Jesus. I think you should specify whether you mean Jesus or the Father, since God is a term used of both it can be misleading. Jesus did die, the Father did not.
 

Mungo

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May 23, 2012
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The Body of Christ died, NOT God.

It's a person that dies not a body. If we say John dies we mean the person "John" died not that his body died.

When we say Jesus died we mean the person of Jesus, second person of the Trinity, experienced death.
 

Stan

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Jul 19, 2012
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It's a person that dies not a body. If we say John dies we mean the person "John" died not that his body died.

When we say Jesus died we mean the person of Jesus, second person of the Trinity, experienced death.

No sorry, our person-hood, soul/mind/spirit, NEVER dies. When the Bible talks about death, it is in reference to a physical death, NOT a meta-physical one.
Just like God said to Adam in Genesis 2:17...Adam didn't die WHEN he ate from the tree, he died 900 years later as a result of eating from the tree. In the Bible, God looks at us as effectually dead or literally dead. The spirit/soul never dies.
 

Watchwithme

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Jul 20, 2012
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Is it correct to say God died on the cross?

I take the negative.

This is one of the great deep Christian truths and a very worthy topic. Good on you for raising it. I believe this is the sort of topic Paul meant by the meat we need to be getting into instead of mothers milk. I think Oswald Chambers explains this very well. He says this is not the agony of a man or martyr, this is the agony of God as Man. It is God as man going through the last lap of the supreme, supernatural Redemption of the human race.
 

Mungo

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No sorry, our person-hood, soul/mind/spirit, NEVER dies. When the Bible talks about death, it is in reference to a physical death, NOT a meta-physical one.
Just like God said to Adam in Genesis 2:17...Adam didn't die WHEN he ate from the tree, he died 900 years later as a result of eating from the tree. In the Bible, God looks at us as effectually dead or literally dead. The spirit/soul never dies.

Historically in Christianity death is the separation of body and soul. The body becomes corrupt but the soul lives on.

On the cross therefore Jesus died because his human body and human soul separated. The person, Jesus, was God (second person of the Trinity) and therefore it is correct to say that God died on the cross.

However his divine person remained united to his human body as well as his human soul. So perhaps we can say that God (the Son) in his divinity did not die, but God (the Son) in his humanity did experience death. However as we cannot separate Jesus’ divinity and his humanity it is correct to say that God died on the cross.
 

Stan

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Jul 19, 2012
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Historically in Christianity death is the separation of body and soul. The body becomes corrupt but the soul lives on.

On the cross therefore Jesus died because his human body and human soul separated. The person, Jesus, was God (second person of the Trinity) and therefore it is correct to say that God died on the cross.

However his divine person remained united to his human body as well as his human soul. So perhaps we can say that God (the Son) in his divinity did not die, but God (the Son) in his humanity did experience death. However as we cannot separate Jesus’ divinity and his humanity it is correct to say that God died on the cross.

1 Peter 3:18-20
For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit. [sup]19 [/sup]After being made alive, he went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits — [sup]20 [/sup]to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built.
 

Mungo

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1 Peter 3:18-20
For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit. [sup]19 [/sup]After being made alive, he went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits — [sup]20 [/sup]to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built.

And how is that different to what I said?
 

Groundzero

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Jul 20, 2011
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I thinkg we need clarification. The word "theos" translated God means deity or divinity. It's mostly used of the Father but is sometimes used of Jesus. I think you should specify whether you mean Jesus or the Father, since God is a term used of both it can be misleading. Jesus did die, the Father did not.

Very good point. My question is referring to deity.

I believe that to say Jesus died, is correct, since Jesus was God manifest in flesh. He was both man and God. But to say God died, is incorrect, as God is a spirit and therefore cannot be seen. It was only the image of God that died. God himself cannot die.
2 Co. 4:4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
 

Mungo

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Very good point. My question is referring to deity.

I believe that to say Jesus died, is correct, since Jesus was God manifest in flesh. He was both man and God. But to say God died, is incorrect, as God is a spirit and therefore cannot be seen. It was only the image of God that died. God himself cannot die.
2 Co. 4:4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

Jesus is God.

If Jesus died then it is correct to say that God died.

You could say that God died according to his humanity as an explanation or clarification but we must not deny that saying God died is a true statement.

To say that Jesus is "only the image of God" is to suggest that Jesus is not truly God.
 

Groundzero

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Jul 20, 2011
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Jesus is God.

If Jesus died then it is correct to say that God died.

You could say that God died according to his humanity as an explanation or clarification but we must not deny that saying God died is a true statement.

To say that Jesus is "only the image of God" is to suggest that Jesus is not truly God.

I guess in that sense of the word 'God', it is correct.

I do wish to point out, I never stated Jesus is ONLY the image of God. I said Christ. According to Scripture, Christ is the image of God.
 

Mungo

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I guess in that sense of the word 'God', it is correct.

I do wish to point out, I never stated Jesus is ONLY the image of God. I said Christ. According to Scripture, Christ is the image of God.

I must have misunderstood your statement "It was only the image of God that died."
 

Watchwithme

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Because His divinity went to preach to the lost, NOT His humanity.

God in the form of Jesus Christ AKA flesh AKA human flesh was fully man and fully God. Where Jesus went on earth his humanity went with him because he was God in human form. Perhaps I'm being pedantic.
 

Mungo

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God in the form of Jesus Christ AKA flesh AKA human flesh was fully man and fully God. Where Jesus went on earth his humanity went with him because he was God in human form. Perhaps I'm being pedantic.

You are not being pedantic. It is a very important point. To seperate Jesus into a human person and divine person is the Nestorian heresy.