Stephen and Jesus Christ

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ByGraceThroughFaith

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Stephen and Jesus Christ

“Now when they heard these things they were enraged, and they ground their teeth at him. But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. And he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together at him. Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.” (Acts chapter 7, verses 54-60)

For those who believe that Jesus Christ is subordinate to God the Father, and that the Father alone is God Supreme, this passage says that they are wrong!

Here we have the Account of the stoning of the first Martyr in the Church, Stephen, for preaching the Gospel.

Before Stephen was murdered, he was allowed to gaze into Heaven, into the very Presence of God the Father, and Jesus Christ, Who is standing at the Father’s Right Hand.

Firstly, this shows that the Father and Jesus Christ are not one and the same Person, as some heretically teach, based on the complete misunderstanding of Jesus’ Words in John chapter 14, where He says, “he that has seen Me, has seen the Father”; which is a rebuke to Philip, who wrongly assumed, that somehow the Father as God, is “greater” than Jesus Christ. They are Both COEQUAL in the Eternal Godhead.

Secondly, note, that Stephen sees BOTH God the Father, Who some erroneously teach, is the Only Person Who is “Almighty”; and the Lord Jesus Christ. What does Stephen do here? he invokes the Lord Jesus Christ, and not God the Father! WHY would anyone, who sees the Almighty Father, and the created Jesus Christ, as some heretically teach, call on a Created being, and not the Almighty Father? The Bible is very clear, in places like Psalm 50:15, “Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I shall rescue you, and you will Honour Me.”, Who is Yahweh. The fact, that Stephen actually invokes the Lord Jesus Christ, and not God the Father, Who he sees in His Awesome Glory, is beyond any doubt, that Stephen understands Jesus Christ Himself to be Almighty God!

Only someone Who is absolutely COEQUAL with God the Father, would have allowed Stephen to say what he does, without correcting him. Jesus does not say to Stephen, the Father, Who is always “greater” than Myself as God, is here, you must invoke Him, as I am a mere Ambassador and inferior to Him. Because Jesus Christ is Himself Almighty God, which is clear from verses like John 5:23; 17:5; etc, that He accepts the cry from Stephen.

It is ONLY because of human bad “theology”, which fallen people are trying to apply to Almighty God, that the heretical teachings like, Unitarianism, and Oneness, exist! The Holy Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, is abundantly clear to all who are interested in what God has to say, that the Eternal Godhead, is One, and in Three distinct, coequal Persons: The Father, The Lord Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit.

More Biblical Evidence that refutes any heresy that challenges the Bible on God being Trinity.
 
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Tommy Cool

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John chapter 14, where He says, “he that has seen Me, has seen the Father”; which is a rebuke to Philip, who wrongly assumed, that somehow the Father as God, is “greater” than Jesus Christ. They are Both COEQUAL in the Eternal Godhead.

If they are coequal wouldn’t Jhn 14:12 indicate that we can do greater works than God.

14:12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.

~Asking for a friend~
 

ByGraceThroughFaith

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If they are coequal wouldn’t Jhn 14:12 indicate that we can do greater works than God.

14:12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.

~Asking for a friend~

the Greek adjective used here, μείζονα, does not mean that us humans can do "greater" works than God Himself, but is used in the sense of reaching a greater number of people, "greater in quantity ", as the Gospel is taken all around the world. Words have different meanings which can be determined by the context.