Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!usc!samsung!rex!ukma!seismo!dimacs.rutgers.edu!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: math1h3@jetson.uh.edu Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Re: Jn 1:1 - Who was Jesus Message-ID: Date: 12 Feb 91 09:22:41 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Organization: University of Houston Lines: 81 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu In article , edc!fraser@uunet.uu.net (Fraser Orr) writes: > In article , edc!fraser@uunet.uu.net (Fraser Orr) writes: On the question of Christ's divinity: Elizabeth Tallant wrote: >>Furthermore, we are told that Jesus forgave sins. This one of the reasons >>that he was tried for heresy. We are further told that only God can >>forgive sins. > > Your statement that "Only God can forgive sins" is based on the > statement of the religious leaders who hated Jesus at this time. I do > not accept their judgement on the matter, perhaps the man Jesus had > divine authority from the Father to forgive sins. Take a look at Psalm 49:7: "No man can redeem the life of another or give to God a ransom for him -- the ransom for a life is costly, no payment is ever enough-- that he should live on forever and not see decay." Also take a look at Romans 9:5: "Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of Christ, who is God over all, forever praised! Amen". Yes, some translate the end of this 'God who is over all be forever praised,' but this passage clearly intends to contrasts Christ's 'human ancestry' with his divinity. Why call his ancestry human, if there is nothing special about that? Furthermore look at Romans 10:9-13, which begins with 'That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord", and believe in you heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.' It ends with 'for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved." '. This quotes Joel 2:32. Joel used the name Yahweh here, so Paul clearly identified Jesus with Yahweh. It is interesting to note that Romans 10:9 says that God raised Jesus, but in John 2:19 Jesus said: "Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days." So if Jesus is not God, how could he raise himself from the dead? David H. Wagner a confessional Lutheran "Tis good, Lord, to be here, Thy glory fills the night; Thy face and garments, like the sun, Shine with unborrowed light. "'Tis good, Lord, to be here, Thy beauty to behold Where Moses and Elijah stand, Thy messengers of old. "Fulfiller of the past, Promise of things to be, We hail Thy body glorified And our redemption see. "Before we taste of death, We see Thy kingdom come; We fain would hold the vision bright And make this hill our home. " 'Tis good, Lord, to be here. Yet we may not remain; But since Thou bidst us leave the mount, Come with us to the plain." --"Tis Good, Lord, to be Here" --Joseph A. Robinson, 1888 from "The Lutheran Hymnal" #135 Have a blessed Transfiguration Sunday! My opinions and beliefs on this matter are disclaimed by The University of Houston.