What is the difference between a Jew and a Christian?

[WalterandDebbie]

For the sake of trinitarians, I would like to see the policy prohibiting discussion of the Trinity reversed but I don’t think it has. If it has, I missed the announcement.

Does it matter to you if the prohibition is still in place? Would you defy the policy and discuss the subject anyway?

No Sir, I will try to find that announcement and let you know if I did or not.

 

[WalterandDebbie]

Elohim is a a Hebrew word that is always plural in form but may be either singular or plural in meaning. When used in reference to Yahweh it is always singular in meaning.

In your thinking, is the messiah’s elohim a person or a family?

To us, The Father and His Son is The Family John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

Love, Walter And Debbie

 

[ScottA]

Bs"d

What is the difference between a Jew and a Christian?

It is very simple: A Jew can count to two, and a Christian cannot.

A Jew knows that 1 + 1 = 2, and a Christian thinks that 1 + 1 + 1 = 1.

A Jew knows that a God the Father and a god the son is two (2!) gods. A Christian thinks that a God the Father and a god the son and a god the holy ghost is only one God.

When you can count to two you cannot be a polytheist and therefore not a Christian.

That is too elementary, and because of it, error.

One cannot count the same God in spirit and in flesh a second or third time, any more than a person can rightfully count me, myself, and I, separately as three different people. That's psychotic.

One could make the same argument about how many races there are.

But that's just worldly ignorance thinking.

 

[Matthias]

To us, The Father and His Son is The Family John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

Love, Walter And Debbie

Thanks.

To me, the messiah’s elohim is only one person, the Father, Yahweh.

In regard to John 1:1-5, I’m in agreement with the rendering presented in the Geneva Bible (and all English translations of John’s prologue from Greek published prior to 1611.)

 

[WalterandDebbie]

Thanks.

To me, the messiah’s elohim is only one person, the Father, Yahweh.

In regard to John 1:1-5, I’m in agreement with the rendering presented in the Geneva Bible.

Oh, I see, I'm still looking for that announcement of the Trinity.


Walter

 

[WalterandDebbie]

Is discussion of the Trinity no longer prohibited?

Hello Matthias, This is the closest to what I found from an Administrator, Clarification needed please

 

[Matthias]

Hello Matthias, This is the closest to what I found from an Administrator, Clarification needed please

Thanks. I’ve seen others discussing that which the policy says must not be discussed in forums where I don’t have posting privileges. I don’t know why moderators are letting it go. Maybe they’re considering reversing the policy and watching to see how it goes.

 

[BlessedPeace]

Bs"d

What is the difference between a Jew and a Christian?

It is very simple: A Jew can count to two, and a Christian cannot.

A Jew knows that 1 + 1 = 2, and a Christian thinks that 1 + 1 + 1 = 1.

A Jew knows that a God the Father and a god the son is two (2!) gods. A Christian thinks that a God the Father and a god the son and a god the holy ghost is only one God.

When you can count to two you cannot be a polytheist and therefore not a Christian.

You are a fool.
And when you don't accept Messiah Jesus as your Savior you are a damned one.

 

[WalterandDebbie]

Thanks. I’ve seen others discussing that which the policy says must not be discussed in forums where I don’t have posting privileges. I don’t know why moderators are letting it go. Maybe they’re considering reversing the policy and watching to see how it goes.

I might have missed the latest policy.

 

[Matthias]

I might have missed the latest policy.

It doesn’t / didn’t prevent what it was implemented to prevent anyway. It is / was a band aid.

 

[Matthias]

To us, The Father and His Son is The Family John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

Love, Walter And Debbie

So the God family concept you find support for in John 1:1 consists of two persons.

Jesus’ God consists of only one person, which I find support for in John 1:1.

The difference is that you see the logos (Word) with God in John’s prologue as a person with God and I see the logos (word) with God in John’s prologue as that which existed in the mind / the thought of Jesus’ God.

 

[WalterandDebbie]

So the God family concept you find support for in John 1:1 consists of two persons.

Jesus’ God consists of only one person, which I find support for in John 1:1.

The difference is that you see the logos (Word) with God in John’s prologue as a person with God and I see the logos (word) with God in John’s prologue as that which existed in the mind / the thought of Jesus’ God.

I see what you are saying, the thought of Jesus' God?

 

[Matthias]

I see what you are saying, the thought of Jesus' God?

God (by that I mean Jesus’ God) had things in mind before he created them. When I read John’s prologue my mind returns to Genesis 1.

While not as crucial, my mind also returns to the post-biblical Apostles’ Creed: “I believe in God, the Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth.”

 

[WalterandDebbie]

God (by that I mean Jesus’ God) had things in mind before he created them. When I read John’s prologue my mind returns to Genesis 1.

While not as crucial, my mind also returns to the post-biblical Apostles’ Creed: “I believe in God, the Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth.”

That is your belief, Matthias

 

[Matthias]

That is your belief, Matthias

Yes.

 

[WalterandDebbie]

Yes.

Good, you are entitled to your belief

 

[Matthias]

Good you are entitled to your belief

Everyone is entitled to their belief. It’s a shame that the current Board policy doesn’t allow the trinitarians to discuss their belief with others, just as you and I are respectfully discussing our respective beliefs with one another. (But perhaps that policy changed, or may eventually be.)

 

[WalterandDebbie]

Everyone is entitled to their belief. It’s a shame that the current Board policy doesn’t allow the trinitarians to discuss their belief with others, just as you and I are discussing our respective beliefs with one another.

If I intend to be on this site, at least I can do is respect their policy, especially when I can think about it, but sometimes things get out of control not on purpose.

 

[Matthias]

If I intend to be on this site, at least I can do is respect their policy, especially when I can think about it, but sometimes things get out of control not on purpose.

Back in the days when I was a college student, I was given an assignment for a preaching class I was taking to visit a synagogue and prepare a report on my experience. I phoned a synagogue (in Atlanta), told them I was a student, explained my assignment and asked if it would be okay for me to attend a service. I was extended an invitation to attend and did so on the following sabbath.

When I arrived at the synagogue I was met at the door by a very friendly man who had been assigned by the rabbi to escort me, sit with me, and answer any questions I might like to ask. I was given a kippah and a tour of the building before the service started.

I soon became aware that people were avoiding me. Finally a man approached, shook the hand of the man who was escorting me, then turned to me and said curtly: “Jesus isn’t welcome here.”

We were quickly joined by a couple of other angry looking men. I explained that I was there merely to observe the service. The man who was escorting me - a dentist by profession - must have been a man of some authority in the synagogue for he quickly dispersed the growing crowd that had begun to surround us.

After the service concluded, I was invited to stay for lunch. The rabbi joined us and the conversation quickly turned, at the direction of the rabbi, to a discussion on differences between Christianity and Judaism. The rabbi was very friendly and brought up the unavoidable subject of Jesus. As we spoke, a small crowd quickly formed around the table we were sitting at. They were curious, as was the rabbi, about my belief in Jewish monotheism and in Jesus, himself a Jewish monotheist.

One man, however, protested loudly against any conversation about Jesus. The rabbi silenced him, then asked why I wasn’t speaking more aggressively about Jesus. I replied that I was a guest and had come to the synagogue as a student to observe the preaching. I added that I wasn’t there to cause trouble. The rabbi quietly asked me what I thought Jesus would think about that. The wry question caught me off guard. I replied with the first thing that came to mind: “Blessed are the peacemakers”. The rabbi paused, then asked someone to pass me some food to try. The conversation turned to other things.

I’ve often reflected over the years on that encounter. Should I have said more about God and Jesus than I did? Perhaps. Or had what I did say about them on that day, my witness, been enough? Perhaps.

Now here I am, decades later, a guest on a trinitarian internet discussion forum which, by policy, prohibits people from discussing trinitarian belief. I see parallels.

 

[WalterandDebbie]

Back in the days when I was a college student, I was given an assignment for a preaching class I was taking to visit a synagogue and prepare a report on my experience. I phoned a synagogue (in Atlanta), told them I was a student, explained my assignment and asked if it would be okay for me to attend a service. I was extended an invitation to attend and did so on the following sabbath.

When I arrived at the synagogue I was met at the door by a very friendly man who had been assigned by the rabbi to escort me, sit with me, and answer any questions I might like to ask. I was given a kippah and a tour of the building before the service started.

I soon became aware that people were avoiding me. Finally a man approached, shook the hand of the man who was escorting me, then turned to me and said curtly: “Jesus isn’t welcome here.”

We were quickly joined by a couple of other angry looking men. I explained that I was there merely to observe the service. The man who was escorting me - a dentist by profession - must have been a man of some authority in the synagogue for he quickly dispersed the growing crowd that had begun to surround us.

After the service concluded, I was invited to stay for lunch. The rabbi joined us and the conversation quickly turned, at the direction of the rabbi, to a discussion on differences between Christianity and Judaism. The rabbi was very friendly and brought up the unavoidable subject of Jesus. As we spoke, a small crowd quickly formed around the table we were sitting at. They were curious, as was the rabbi, about my belief in Jewish monotheism and in Jesus, himself a Jewish monotheist.

One man, however, protested loudly against any conversation about Jesus. The rabbi silenced him, then asked why I wasn’t speaking more aggressively about Jesus. I replied that I was a guest and had come to the synagogue as a student to observe the preaching. I added that I wasn’t there to cause trouble. The rabbi quietly asked me what I thought Jesus would think about that. The wry question caught me off guard. I replied with the first thing that came to mind: “Blessed are the peacemakers”. The rabbi paused, then asked someone to pass me some food to try. The conversation turned to other things.

I’ve often reflected over the years on that encounter. Should I have said more about God and Jesus than I did? Perhaps. Or had what I did say about them on that day, my witness, been enough? Perhaps.

Now here I am, decades later, a guest on a trinitarian internet discussion forum which, by policy, prohibits people from discussing trinitarian belief. I see parallels.

Good morning Matthias and how are you? I have not had this experience, but I can say our faith in Christ matters.

Love, Walter