Christianity the only true religion?

JosephM said:
Are you addressing me?
If so, whats what I said got to do with a resurrection

JM
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My apologies, I thought my last post was obvious.
JM
I believe in God the father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth and in Jesus Christ, his only son our Lord, who was concieved by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, and suffered under Pontious Pilate. He was crucified until dead, was buried and descended into hell. On the third day he ascended into heaven and sits on the right hand of the father.
I believe in the communion of saints, the holy catholic church, the forgiveness of sins, and the resurrection of the body, and in life everlasting.
Amen.
As you poke holes in the "Apostles Creed", I will talk to you after Thanksgiving. Good night!:)
 
JosephM said:
Good try streetbob, but your spit can't reach spirit and God is incarnate in all his children. In him we move and have our being. There is no flesh, where he is not. Nothing can exist without his presence.

jm
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Yes ,you can spit on God dwelling in human form and i agree that God dwells (not incarnate) within each of his children, (born again) but I am sure we would disagree with who his children are.
 
Snoopy said:
"Forgiveness is a form of realism. It doesn't deny, minimize, or justify what others have done to us or the pain that we have suffered. It encourages us to look squarely at those old wounds and see them for what they are. And it allows us to see how much energy we have wasted and how much we have damaged ourselves by not forgiving.
Forgiveness is an internal process. It can't be forced, and it doesn't come easy. It brings with it great feelings of wellness and freedom. But we experience this only when we want to heal and when we are willing to work for it.
Forgiveness is a sign of positive self-esteem. We no longer identify ourselves by our past injuries and injustices. We are no longer victims. We claim the right to stop hurting when we say, "I'm tired of the pain, and I want to be healed." At that moment, forgiveness becomes a possibility-although it may take time and much hard work before we finally achieve it.
Forgiveness is letting go of the past. It doesn't erase what happened, but it does allow us to lessen and perhaps even eliminate the pain of the past. The pain from our past no longer dictates how we live in the present, and it no longer determines our future.
It also means that we no longer need resentment and anger as an excuse for our shortcomings. We don't need them as a weapon to punish others nor as a shield to protect ourselves by keeping others away. And most importantly, we don't need these feelings to identify who we are. We become more than merely victims of our past.
Forgiveness is no longer wanting to punish those who hurt us. It is understanding that the anger and hatred that we feel toward them hurts us far more than it hurts them. It is seeing how we hide ourselves in our anger and how those feelings prevent us from healing. It is discovering the inner peace that becomes ours when we let go of the past and forget vengeance.
Forgiveness is moving on. It is recognizing all that we have lost because of our refusal to forgive. It is realizing that the energy that we spend hanging on to the past is better spent on improving our present and our future. It is letting go of the past so that we can move on.
We all have been hurt. And at one time or another most of us have made the mistake of trying to run away from the past. The problem is that no matter how fast or how far we run, the past always catches up to us-and usually at the most inopportune time. When we forgive, we are dealing with the past in such a way that we no longer have to run.
For me, learning how to forgive wasn't easy. But I did learn, and my life is better for it - even here on death row."
Michael B. Ross
Death Row
Somers, Connecticut


from: Anger​
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Snoopy,
This is awesome! Thanks so much for posting it as it truly hits home. I know these aren't your words, but whatever it is that is in you that recognizes the beauty therein, I bow to that.

Peace
Mark
 
JosephM said:
Good try streetbob, but your spit can't reach spirit and God is incarnate in all his children. In him we move and have our being. There is no flesh, where he is not. Nothing can exist without his presence.

jm
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In a sense "God" was "whipped" and "spit on," but not literally. A man born with the likeness of God, the Son of Man was whipped and spit on. It was a man who demonstrated what God was like so that people could understand Him -- a man who was a projection of God. They whipped and spit on a man whose life demonstrated what God was like.
 
Good try streetbob, but your spit can't reach spirit and God is incarnate in all his children.

Not quite. I don't think anywhere in Scripture does it say the Divinity is incarnate in humanity – if that were so there would be nothing unique about Jesus.

The corollary is – if this were true – why then is/are God/we subject to concupisence. If I am God incarnate – how could I possibly not know that?

In him we move and have our being. There is no flesh, where he is not. Nothing can exist without his presence.

Who is 'him' I wonder? Without the Incarnation, who is Christ?

As many have said before, Christ simply means 'annointed' – but because if one person was annointed, that does not mean we all are, nor does it mean that we all partake of the grace that is conferred in the act of annointing.

Therefore the idea of 'in him we live and move and have our being' transcends the idea of Christ/The Annointed as it is commonly understood outside of Christianity.

As Philosophy and Scripture says: 'In him we live and move and have our being' – but that is our being in Him, not His being in us ... and there is a fine distinction, one which Jesus pointed out in no uncertain terms on more than one occasion, as we opt to have our being outside of Him, by the rejection of His Covenant.

In short – can we rewrite the New Testament and put our names in place of His? Are we all then 'The Way, The Truth and the Life'?

Thomas
 
pattimax said:
My apologies, I thought my last post was obvious.
JM
I believe in God the father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth and in Jesus Christ, his only son our Lord, who was concieved by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, and suffered under Pontious Pilate. He was crucified until dead, was buried and descended into hell. On the third day he ascended into heaven and sits on the right hand of the father.
I believe in the communion of saints, the holy catholic church, the forgiveness of sins, and the resurrection of the body, and in life everlasting.
Amen.
As you poke holes in the "Apostles Creed", I will talk to you after Thanksgiving. Good night!:)
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Dont forget..before He ascended to heaven He walked among the disciples after He resurrected and at least 500 people saw Him..
 
pattimax said:
So that makes it true?
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Hi Pattimax,

Are you referring to the location? If you are, then the answer is no, the location does not make it true. Equally one could ask: “So that makes it false?”

s.
 
Paladin said:
Snoopy,
This is awesome! Thanks so much for posting it as it truly hits home. I know these aren't your words, but whatever it is that is in you that recognizes the beauty therein, I bow to that.

Peace
Mark
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Hi Mark,

Thanks, it's nice to see that someone recognises the insight of the words.

More generally, I think as long as this thread remains on the Christianity board any discussion will be shackled, if we wish to abide by the CoC. On this board I think the answer to the OP question is “obviously yes” as it seems to be a rhetorical one (in the context of this board, and asking what fellow Christians think). But then to ask if other religions declare forgiveness, suggests the thread should be on the Comparative board, where the answer to the original question might be….more varied.

s.
 
Thomas said:
(snip)

JosephM said:
In him we move and have our being. There is no flesh, where he is not. Nothing can exist without his presence
Click to expand...
.

Who is 'him' I wonder? Without the Incarnation, who is Christ?

As many have said before, Christ simply means 'annointed' – but because if one person was annointed, that does not mean we all are, nor does it mean that we all partake of the grace that is conferred in the act of annointing.

Therefore the idea of 'in him we live and move and have our being' transcends the idea of Christ/The Annointed as it is commonly understood outside of Christianity.

As Philosophy and Scripture says: 'In him we live and move and have our being' – but that is our being in Him, not His being in us ... and there is a fine distinction, one which Jesus pointed out in no uncertain terms on more than one occasion, as we opt to have our being outside of Him, by the rejection of His Covenant.

In short – can we rewrite the New Testament and put our names in place of His? Are we all then 'The Way, The Truth and the Life'?

Thomas
Click to expand...

Hello Thomas,

Here we see Christ the light in all.
John 1:9
That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.

Here we see Jesus telling us if we believe we can be One even as he is one with the father. Are we not sons of God?
John 17:20-23
Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; [21] That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. [22] And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: [23] I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.
AND
1 John 3:1-2
Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. [2] Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

Thomas, You said "but that is our being in Him, not His being in us ... and there is a fine distinction"
John 14:23
Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.

Me thinks he is in us as well as we in him. He has made his abode (home in us) "Know ye not that ye are the temple of God" Sounds like he is incarnate to me. "Christ in you, the hope of glory"

Love in Christ,
JM
 
Hi JM –

I am slightly confused by the logic, as I read it. It seems to me on the one hand you are saying Jesus Christ is not the Son of God incarnate, and then on the other that God is incarnate in all of us.

Where's the distinction?

Why was Christ's mission necessary?

What was it?

Thomas
 
Thomas said:
Hi JM –

I am slightly confused by the logic, as I read it. It seems to me on the one hand you are saying Jesus Christ is not the Son of God incarnate, and then on the other that God is incarnate in all of us.

Where's the distinction?

Why was Christ's mission necessary?

What was it?

Thomas
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Hi Thomas,

Sorry, I didn't mean it to be confusing. I was just making a point by reference to NT writings that God can be in us as much as God was in Jesus. Never said Jesus was not son of God as it seems you imply above. Only that we who receive Christ that Jesus manifested are no less a son of God. Though we may as yet not be fully transformed by that anointing, nevertheless God is also within us and by NT writings considers us also sons. From what I understand of God's Love, he is no respector of persons and values all alike. Whether you consider yourself a son or adopted son makes no difference to God.

Jesus's mission to me is seen here as to manifest the divinity of God (Christ) to the people and show the way to back to God by that manisfestation of divinity within each of us through the uplifting power unconditional Love of God and neighbor.

Why it was necessary seems to me not to require an answer as it is obvious that man in general needed what Jesus had to offer.

Love in Christ,
JM
 
JosephM said:
Hi Streetbob,

I believe God was always here and doesn't need to come from somewhere to get to earth.

I don't believe you can whip, and spit on God. God is a spirit.

But if it were true, yes it would truly be amazing!

Love in Christ,
JM
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So you actually deny Christ's divinity 100%
 
Saltmeister said:
In a sense "God" was "whipped" and "spit on," but not literally. A man born with the likeness of God, the Son of Man was whipped and spit on. It was a man who demonstrated what God was like so that people could understand Him -- a man who was a projection of God. They whipped and spit on a man whose life demonstrated what God was like.
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Sorry SM but he was fully man and fully God.
 
Snoopy said:
Hi Pattimax,

Are you referring to the location? If you are, then the answer is no, the location does not make it true. Equally one could ask: “So that makes it false?”

s.
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Hey Snoopy,

Actually I was referring to the original question.

As for the link you posted (The one labeled "Anger", hmmm...) can take to very diverse and interesting places, but at the end you will be nowhere or worse.

Sincerely, Pattimax
 
Dor said:
Sorry SM but he was fully man and fully God.
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I think it really depends on what we mean by "fully man" and "fully God."

A person takes on the identity of another if he/she has all the essential qualities of the person he/she imitates or emulates. Jesus had all the essential qualities of a human being but at the same time had all essential qualities of God. That meant that Jesus took on the identity of God. If Jesus had all the essential qualities of a human being and God then in theory he is "fully man" and "fully God," right?

In the sense that Jesus and God are two separate beings, I would say Jesus is not God (literally). However, I would also say that because Jesus had all the essential character and personality traits of God then he is God in the sense that God and Jesus had the same identity (Jesus was a paradigm for God).

My impression is that the idea that "Jesus is God" is more of a way of saying that Jesus and God were essentially identical in character, though not the same in composition and not materially the same. To me, this has appeared to be an idea that is so subtle that many of us fail to notice it in our own way of thinking, let alone express it. Sure, I might be criticised for coming up with theories about how we conceptualise Jesus and God, but do we not, at some point, have to explain, to ourselves, our own way of thinking?

As Christians we are often taught (though not all of us) to follow a strict approach to conceptualising Jesus and God -- to stick to the theories of preachers, pastors, bishops, ministers, etc. That's because ministers are anxious to protect the Christian community. While I can understand that they may spend so much more of their time reading scripture, they may not have seen enough of the world outside the church building to be able to reason proficiently about conceptualisations of Jesus and God. The layperson is influenced to believe that just because he/she isn't a minister that he/she can't think for himself/herself.

I've read theories on what one may mean by "fully man" and "fully God," but what I disagree with is the idea that "fully man" and "fully God" mean that Jesus and God are of the same substance. Quite clearly, a human being and God can't be "of the same substance." It's the idea that Jesus and God must have the same composition and material substance.

Jesus and God not having "the same substance" doesn't mean Jesus isn't "fully man" and "fully God." The descriptions "fully man" and "fully God" don't necessarily refer to "substance." The theory I have in mind at the moment is that "fully man" and "fully God" are not a reference to "substance," "material composition" but identity.

Everybody has a personality. Your personality is your identity. God has an identity too, because God has a personality.

That's why the Son leads to the Father; it's because they both have the same identity. Anyone who sees the Son has seen the Father. They're identical. They have all the same essential qualities, all other qualities being irrelevant. The idea is not to worship the Son as God, but to use the Son to find the Father, since the Son has the identity of God, the Father. The Son is like the Father's fingerprints. Jesus was God's fingerprint. God left His fingerprints all over the world through Christ. Our aim is to follow this trail of fingerprints that lead us back to God. That doesn't mean there's anything wrong with worshipping the Son, because after all, he has the same identity as God.

My theory, of course, but hopefully a useful insight . . . :)
 
pattimax said:
Hello JM,
I hope you had a nice Thanksgiving.

For forgiveness (atonement), a blood sacrifice was required.
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Yes, Had a great thanksgiving with the family and friends, thank you.

I hear what you are saying pattimax.

Love in Christ,
JM
 
Hi JM -

It's probably me, but I still read your posts to imply that simply because you exist, Christ exists in you – as if Christ was a quality of your nature – which Scripturally is not the case.

Christ, as the light of men, does not mean that every man is enlightened.
(If I take your posts at face value, we're all enlightened, we're all perfect, and the world is as it should be, which I don't think you mean.)

Equally, you are not that light – the light is within you – recognition of that fact is where the work of the Christian begins, not where it ends.

The Jews generally believed that man was animated by the breath of God, and on the death of man that breathe returned, and man went to the grave.

Christ taught that it is possible to unite with the animating Spirit – but this 'gift' is a grace and not a given – unless we know we are faultless and without sin.

Thomas
 
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