#08
- Is Jesus Really God? Without
a doubt, you have often heard the claim that Jesus
is God, the second person in the "Holy
Trinity". However, the very Bible which
is used as a basis for knowledge about Jesus and as
the basis for doctrine within Christianity clearly
belies this claim. We urge you to consult your own
Bible and verify that the following conclusions are
not drawn out of context:
1. God is All Knowing...
but Jesus was not.
When speaking of the Day of
Judgment, Jesus clearly gave evidence of a limitation
on his knowledge when he said, "but of
that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels
which are in Heaven, neither the son, but the Father."
(Mark 13:32 and Matt 24:36) But God knows
all. His knowledge is without any limitations. That
Jesus, of his own admission, did not know when the
Day of Judgment would be, is clear proof that Jesus
is not all-knowing, and that Jesus is therefore not
God.
2. God is All-Powerful...
but Jesus was not.
While Jesus performed many
miracles, he himself admitted that the power he had
was not his own, but derived from God. He said, "Verily
I say unto you, the Son can do nothing of himself,
but what he seeth the Father do..."
(John 5:19) Again he said, "I can of
mine own self do nothing: As I hear I judge, and my
judgment is just because I seek not mine own will
but the will of the Father which has sent me."
(John 5:30) But God is not only all-powerful,
He is also the source of all power and authority.
That Jesus, of his own admission, could do nothing
on his own is clear proof that Jesus is not all-powerful,
and that therefore Jesus is not God.
3. God does not have
a God... but Jesus did have a God.
God is the ultimate judge and
refuge for all, and He does not call upon nor pray
to any others. But Jesus acknowledged that there was
one whom he worshipped and to whom he prayed when
he said, "I ascend unto my Father and
your Father, and to my God and your God."
(John 20:17) He is also reported to have cried out
while on the cross, "My God, my God,
why hast thou forsaken me?" (Matt 27:46)
If Jesus were God, then couldn't this be read "Myself,
myself, why hast thou forsaken me?"
Would that not be pure nonsense? When Jesus prayed
the Lord's prayer (Luke 11:2-4) was he praying to
himself? When in the garden of Gethsemane he prayed,
"O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup
pass from me: Nevertheless, not as I will but as thou
wilt." (Matt 26:36-39) Was Jesus praying
to himself? That Jesus, of his own admission, and
by his own actions, acknowledged, worshipped and prayed
to another being as God, is clear proof that Jesus
himself is not God.
4. According to the
Bible, God is invisible to humans... but Jesus was
flesh and blood.
While thousands saw Jesus and
heard his voice, Jesus himself said that this could
not be done with God when he said, "
No man hath seen God at any time." (John
1:18) "Ye have neither heard His voice
at any time nor seen His shape." (John
5:37) He also said in John 4:24, "God
is a spirit and they that worship him must worship
him in spirit and in truth." That Jesus
would say that no one had seen or heard God ant any
time, while his followers both saw and heard him,
is clear proof that Jesus was not God.
5. No one is greater than God
and no one can direct Him... but Jesus acknowledged
someone greater than himself whose will was distinct
from his own.
Perhaps the clearest indication
we have that Jesus and God are not equal, and therefore
not one and the same, come again from the mouth of
Jesus himself who said in John 14:28, "My
Father is greater than I." When someone referred
to him as a "good master" in Luke
18:19, Jesus responded, "Why callest
thou me good? There is none good but one, that is
God..." Further more, Jesus drew clear
distinctions between himself and God when he said,
"I proceeded forth and came from God, neither
came I of myself but He sent me." (John
8:42) Jesus gave clear evidence of his subordination
to God, rather than his equality with God, when he
said in Luke 22:42, "not my will but
thine be done," and in John 5:30, "I
seek not mine own will but the will of the Father
which has sent me." That Jesus would
admit that he did not come into the world on his own
initiative but was directed to do so, that he would
acknowledge another being as greater than himself,
and that he would negate his own will in deference
to affirming the will of another, give clear proof
that Jesus is not the Supreme One and therefore Jesus
is not God.
Conclusion
The Church recognizes the Bible
as the primary source of knowledge about God and Jesus.
But since the Bible makes it clear that Jesus is not
the Supreme Being and the Supreme Being is not Jesus,
upon what basis have you come to believe otherwise?
My brother or sister, the belief
that the Supreme Being is a Trinity is false and completely
inconsistent with the words of Jesus as presented
in the Bible. God is One, not three. He is a perfect
unity.
If you are interested in the
truth about God and your relationship to Him, we invite
you to investigate the religion of Islam.
What is the word of
God about Jesus?
A. Regarding the Sonship
of Jesus:
That is Jesus, son
of Mary, in word of truth, concerning which they are
doubting. It is not for God to take a son unto Him.
Glory be to Him! When He decrees a thing, He but says
to it "Be", and it is. (Qur'an
19:34-35)
And they say, 'The
All-Merciful has taken unto Himself a son.' You have
indeed advanced something hideous. The heavens are
well nigh rent of it and the earth split asunder,
and the mountains well nigh fall down crashing for
that they have attributed to the All-Merciful to take
a son. None is there in the heavens and earth but
he comes to the All-Merciful as a servant.
(Qur'an 19:88-93)
Truly the likeness
of Jesus, in God's sight, is as Adam's likeness; He
created him of dust, then said He unto him, "Be",
and he was. (Qur'an 3:59)
People of the Book,
go not beyond the bounds in your religion, and say
not as to God but the Truth. The Messiah, Jesus, son
of Mary, was only the Messenger of God, and His word
that He committed to Mary, and a spirit from Him.
So believe in God and His Messengers, and say not
'Three', Refrain, better it is for you. God is only
One God. Glory be to Him – that He should have
a son! To Him belongs all that is in the heavens and
in the earth, God suffices for a guardian.
(Qur'an 4:171)
B. Regarding Jesus
being God:
And when God said,
'O Jesus, son of Mary, did you say unto men, "Take
me and my mother as gods, apart from God?" He
said, 'To You be glory! It is not mine to say what
I have no right to. If I indeed said it, You knew
it, knowing what is within my soul, and I do not know
what is within Your soul; You know the things unseen.
I only said to them what You did command me: "Serve
God, my Lord and your Lord." And I was a witness
over them, while I remained among them; but when You
did take me to Yourself the Watcher over them; You
are the witness over everything. (Qur'an
5:116-117)
C. Regarding the Crucifixion
of Jesus:
And for their unbelief,
and their uttering against Mary a mighty calumny,
and for their saying 'We slew the Messiah, Jesus son
of Mary, the Messenger of God'... yet they did not
slay him, neither crucified him, only a likeness of
that was shown to them. Those who are at variance
concerning him surely are in doubt regarding him,
they have no knowledge of him, except the following
of surmise; and they did not slay him of certainty...
no indeed; God raised him up to Him; God is Almighty,
All-Wise. There is not one of the people of the Book
but will assuredly believe in him before his death,
and on the Resurrection Day he will be a witness against
them. (Qur'an 4:156-159). |