This really grabbed me today!

[amadeus]

Copied from a previous post of mine from 2 years ago...The following expresses not only my own personal testimony, but how I believe Sola scriptura ought to be exercised.
To develop a healthy scepticism toward our own beliefs and values.
Trust the scriptures more than any of our current understanding of any doctrine or teaching
To determine to live more truthfully in accordance to the scriptures.
It was because of my willingness to approach God with a heart that completely distrusted self... That was sceptical of what I had been taught in the past regarding faith and practice... That was determined to accept truth as revealed in the scriptures regardless of what was popularly taught in the churches that has led me to where I am today. I believe that only as we have such a like attitude of self doubt and faith toward God that we can avoid error and expose deception.

"And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the LORD searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever.
Take heed now; for the LORD hath chosen thee to build an house for the sanctuary: be strong, and do it." I Chron 28:9-10

 

[marks]

Yes, the word became flesh. What are the possible choices?
The promise became flesh;
The idea became flesh;
The concept became flesh;
The reason became flesh;
The script became flesh;
The story became flesh;
The narrative became flesh;
The account became flesh.

All of these are possible interpretations of John 1:14.

And more, I'm sure, however, consider what you are proposing here. According as I've been taught, the Greek idea of Logos was the ordering or guiding principle of all that exists. John is telling his readers what, that is Who, this Logos really is. Not an impersonal force, but a Person, a Divine Person.

You are fully in agreement here with the Greek concept, but you propose this impersonal force becomes a person.

The Word became flesh, and pitched a tent among us, because the Word IS a Person, not an impersonal force.

Suppose John employed the term "ho logos" to indicate God's promise of a coming one, a messiah who will rule over all of creation? Then John is saying that "ho logos", the promise, became real and actualized in Jesus.

There are many other passages that inform us about these. In Hebrews, A body you have prepared for me, in Phillipians, "being in the form of God . . . being found in fashion as a man". There are many like this. "He humbled Himself". Are we saying Jesus was prideful and took Himself down a few notches? Or that He was glorious, and took upon Him the form of a servant.

In saying, He took upon Him the form of a servant . . . what was He before that? A concept? An idea? Or Sovereign?

This is all connected with our redemption.

Hebrews 10:5-10 KJV
5) Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me:
6) In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure.
7) Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.
8) Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law;
9) Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second.
10) By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Who can say, "A body have you prepared for me", "Lo, I come to do Thy will, O God",

1 Corinthians 15:45-47 KJV
45) And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.
46) Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.
47) The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven.

He shall be called Emmanuel, God With Us.

Much love!

 

[bbyrd009]

I said “you are Elohim”
i mean how many ways does it need to be said
the sons of Yah are those who do the will of Yah

 

[stunnedbygrace]

And more, I'm sure, however, consider what you are proposing here. According as I've been taught, the Greek idea of Logos was the ordering or guiding principle of all that exists. John is telling his readers what, that is Who, this Logos really is. Not an impersonal force, but a Person, a Divine Person.

Why has John calling Him the Word never been an oddity to me…? Why did I never have to look up the Greek? All the law speaks of Him, and the law is Gods word , and all the prophets spoke of Him and that’s all also Gods word, so John calling Him the word (of God) does not seem odd or confusing to me. It makes perfect sense to me…
It’s like God was saying, you know all the words I gave you? Well this is Who I was speaking of. Here He is. So listen to Him.

 

[marks]

Why has John calling Him the Word never been an oddity to me…? Why did I never have to look up the Greek? All the law speaks of Him, and the law is Gods word , and all the prophets spoke of Him and that’s all also Gods word, so John calling Him the word (of God) does not seem odd or confusing to me. It makes perfect sense to me…
It’s like God was saying, you know all the words I gave you? Well this is Who I was speaking of. Here He is. So listen to Him.

What I find in the vast majority of instances, anything I found looking into Greek and grammar and such, was right there in the translations.

I think what you've just described is the intended purpose of these passages, to form those kinds of thoughts in our minds.

Much love!

 

[stunnedbygrace]

What I find in the vast majority of instances, anything I found looking into Greek and grammar and such, was right there in the translations.

I think what you've just described is the intended purpose of these passages, to form those kinds of thoughts in our minds.

Much love!

I was just trying to think back to my mind at the time. I probably did not understand the “word” part fully because I had only read Genesis and the NT and so had not yet caught all the glimpses of Him everywhere in the OT. But I understood the light part and the lamb part so…I guess I just knew the word part was another way to say it…like, I saw what John was doing, using different words or titles or descriptions to call Him…

What seems like simple common sense to me isnt just common sense though, or everyone would see it. It was revealed to me. I just thought it was common sense at the time, because there was no confusion.

 

[marks]

What seems like simple common sense to me isnt just common sense though, or everyone would see it. It was revealed to me.

I think that's how it works.

Much love!

 

[stunnedbygrace]

What I find in the vast majority of instances, anything I found looking into Greek and grammar and such, was right there in the translations.

I think what you've just described is the intended purpose of these passages, to form those kinds of thoughts in our minds.

Much love!

Mmm…except they don’t form those kinds of thoughts in everyone’s minds, as this thread clearly shows. So, it has to be revealed. I mean…

 

[marks]

Mmm…except they don’t form those kinds of thoughts in everyone’s minds, as this thread clearly shows. So, it has to be revealed. I mean…

His Word accomplishes the work it is sent to do . . .

Much love!

 

[keithr]

According as I've been taught, the Greek idea of Logos was the ordering or guiding principle of all that exists. John is telling his readers what, that is Who, this Logos really is. Not an impersonal force, but a Person, a Divine Person.

Please see A Curious Question For Non-Trinitarians.

 

[Brakelite]

Please see A Curious Question For Non-Trinitarians.

Yeah Keith. I read that. And your very first summation of the motive for John's writing of the gospel... And his letters by the way... Was not to give an account of Christ's ministry. That was the synoptic gospels. John was different, and he tells us so. John was writing late in the 1st century, at a time when a number of heresies were entering the church, one of those heresies being that Christ was not truly the Son of God. John wrote...
KJV John 20:31
31 But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name .
Hence his introduction...
In the beginning... Was to show Christ's heritage, His true beginnings as the Son of God, who He really is... It has nothing to do with ministry.
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.” John 1:1-3
That “the Word” is Christ is beyond question. As John went on to say, which for some reason you neglected to mention,
“And the Word was made 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.” John 1:14
Whatever else we may make of John’s opening words, we are told in no uncertain terms that Christ is God.
The question is though, how is it possible for Christ to be God, yet at the same time be with God, the latter of whom most would readily identify as the Father? John himself provides the answer. Near the end of his Gospel he explains
“And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.” John 20:30-31
Here we are told the purpose of John’s Gospel. It is to show that “Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God”. The “signs” referred to here are some of the acts and the words of Christ that John, inspired by the Holy Spirit, selected to show that this is true. John’s Gospel therefore is a divine theology. This is why it is so unlike the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke. These latter accounts of the life of Christ, often referred to as the synoptic Gospels, had been written around 30 or 40 years previous to John writing his Gospel. John’s Gospel is amongst the last of the revelations that the church, through the Bible writers, would receive from God. Within it we find the most complete revelation of God to humanity. Many scholars estimate it to have been written near the end of the first century (c. AD 96). This was at a time when the church, although still in its infancy, was already under threat from false teachings. This was particularly regarding the identity and the nature of Christ. These erroneous teachings came from within the church and from without. John therefore would have been very careful when selecting the words he would write. This is why his Gospel, particularly with respect to Christ’s personal identity, should be regarded as highly significant. It appears that John wrote his Gospel with the sole purpose of refuting these false teachings. The introduction of such teachings into the early church was something that the apostle Paul had warned would happen (Acts 20:27-30).

 

[keithr]

That “the Word” is Christ is beyond question. As John went on to say, which for some reason you neglected to mention,
“And the Word was made 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.” John 1:14
Whatever else we may make of John’s opening words, we are told in no uncertain terms that Christ is God.

My post was a summary of the video. Evidently you didn't understand the video.

 

[Brakelite]

My post was a summary of the video. Evidently you didn't understand the video.

I'm not interested in listening to a 45 minute video explaining why some obscure dude denies the obvious. I found it hard enough reading your summary.

 

[keithr]

I'm not interested in listening to a 45 minute video explaining why some obscure dude denies the obvious. I found it hard enough reading your summary.

I wrote the summary because there are so many people who are too lazy to put a bit of time and effort into seeking the truth, perhaps because they don't have love of the truth. Watching the video would be better than reading my summary of it.

2 Thessalonians 2:10-11 (WEB):

(10) ..., because they didn’t receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
(11) Because of this, God sends them a working of error, that they should believe a lie;​

Matthew 7:7-8 (WEB):

(7) “Ask, and it will be given you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and it will be opened for you.
(8) For everyone who asks receives. He who seeks finds. To him who knocks it will be opened.​

2 Timothy 2:15 (MKJV):

(15) Study earnestly to present yourself approved to God, a workman that does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth.​

 

[Nancy]

I remember that’s what John said, that we had to go together. Do you remember him saying something like that? I’ve never forgotten it. And the verse agrees, the one that talks about until we all come to a unity of the faith/trust. Oh my gosh I miss him and Dot, sometimes fiercely.

I also miss gathering with them just, cannot get past a couple things but, I love them dearly. And yes, I DO remember John saying that
So, guess they don't want to make the road trip, lol. They are a bit further I guess.

 

[Nancy]

Speaking of myself personally, the process of Bible study, discussion, discovery and all the hard work it takes to arrive at the proper understanding of scripture is very edifying. Sometimes, in order to produce a good thing, it requires a messy process, which becomes an occasion to practice curiosity, patience, self-control, and grace.

To answer your question, I would say yes, gaining a better knowledge of God is essential for approaching him more closely. Unless, of course, I prefer a God of my own imagination. It's scary, but we must get to know the real God.

Blessings to you Amadeus.

MESS-

Good thing-

 

[Brakelite]

My post was a summary of the video. Evidently you didn't understand the video.

Yet I understood your summary. You know that FBI agents don't study counterfeits in order to know good money from bad right? They study the true so that when they see a counterfeit, it immediately resonates and they recognize the errors. I chose to offer you what I thought was a sound reason why I can't accept your and others ideas of Jesus first existence beginning at Bethlehem. He is the Creator. He was an individual being when He created. Which means He was God's Son at that time also. We know this because we are told by Jesus Himself that God sent His only begotten Son into the world that man might be saved. That tells me God had a Son to send.
Adam want begotten. The angels weren't begotten. The only begotten Son is Jesus. Begotten, not made. Begotten, not created. All things were created by Him and for Him. He came forth from the Father. God begotten from God. What else would God beget if not God? Everything else in all the natural universe is brought into existence from it's own kind. If the Son isn't God, then what is He?

 

[CadyandZoe]

MESS-

Good thing-

I love it! Thanks.

 

[CadyandZoe]

I'm not interested in listening to a 45 minute video explaining why some obscure dude denies the obvious. I found it hard enough reading your summary.

I don't mean to interrupt but can I ask a quick question related to what you said? I make videos for Christians but I am a bit discouraged lately. Would you watch a shorter video, say 15 minutes? Shorter or longer? Just asking. I want to make edifying videos that people will watch. Thanks.

 

[Brakelite]

I don't mean to interrupt but can I ask a quick question related to what you said? I make videos for Christians but I am a bit discouraged lately. Would you watch a shorter video, say 15 minutes? Shorter or longer? Just asking. I want to make edifying videos that people will watch. Thanks.

Lol. Depends entirely on the people presenting the topic. It's a matter of trust as evidenced by past experience. I have sat enthralled through 2 hour lectures on some topics by certain individuals, and am currently in the middle of a theology series of 30 plus lectures each one an hour long.
Sorry, but that probably hasn't helped.
Edit... And you may 'interrupt' any time.