In John 8:58 "I tell you the truth," Jesus answered, "before Abraham was born, I am!"
In Luke 5 : 20-21 When Jesus saw their faith, He said, "Friend, your sins are forgiven." The Pharisees and the teachers of the law began thinking to themselves, "Who is this who speaks blasphemy? Who can forgive sins but God alone?"
A lot of people, including Christians ,non Christians and atheists, always have doubts about the Holy Trinity and find it hard to believe in Jesus and follow his teachings.
The questions usually asked are:-
1) Did Jesus really exist?
2) Is Jesus God?
3) If Jesus is God, then why did He keep praying to the Father in Heaven? How can the Father and Jesus be one God? Why did Jesus have to suffer on the Cross?
4) What is the Holy Spirit?
5) What is so special about Jesus? Why cant I just view him as an ordinary man or a teacher or a prophet? Why should I see him as God?
There are a lot more questions answered below this page and an online Bible for a quick reference to all the verses of the Bible that have been mentioned here.
Usually the answers given to the above questions seem to be too complicated for anyone to understand. Iam writing this to give a very simple explanation for everyone to understand. Right from a child to an adult.
To start with :- Did Jesus really exist?
Answer : Todays Date - November 8th 2008 , Saturday
Would you ask for proof or evidence to believe that this is the date when Iam writing this article.You would not, because it would even show on the computer.
Now what is 2008
It is actually 2008 AD . Any event on Earth and The entire history of the worlds existence is divided into BC (Before Christ) and AD (Anno Domini - meaning in the year of our Lord) . Jesus lived on this Earth till 32 AD. The years are counted based on His life on Earth. Whether a person believes in Jesus or not and whatever religion that person may belong to , he or she would have to always write a date that acknowledges Jesus life on Earth.
Everyone all over the world accepts the year is 2008 AD. This should be proof enough for all atheists and doubters, since even they have to compulsorily write this date on their diaries, cards, birth dates, cheques , messages and their computers and e mails, which ACKNOWLEDGE Jesus BIRTH, DEATH and RESURRECTION.
Aside from the many Messianic predictions in the Old Testament, not one of the four Gospels or the 23 other documents in the New Testament would make an ounce of sense if Jesus had never lived.
All the Gospels were written during different time periods by Jesus disciples,who were chosen personally by Jesus and who had their own personal eye witness accounts with Jesus.
The Bible was written by approximately 40 men of diverse backgrounds over the course of 4000 years. Despite being penned by different authors over 40 centuries, the Bible does not contradict itself and does not contain any errors. The authors all present different perspectives, but they all proclaim the same one true God, and the same one way of salvation—Jesus Christ (John 14:6; Acts 4:12).
If Jesus did not exist, then it is just not possible that so many people would tell the same story at different points in time, individually written at different places without consulting each other.
Christianity was spread by the disciples of Jesus and Paul. They taught what Jesus had preached.
If Jesus had never existed, then they could have never preached the message of Jesus, as people in those days would have accused them of creating a false story.
If Jesus had never existed, then Christianity would have never existed as people would never believe anything that the disciples and Paul were preaching. People believed Jesus disciples and Paul, because they knew that Jesus had existed during that time and, many would have even seen Jesus with the disciples and, listened to his teachings.
However, that is not to say that there are no extra-biblical references to the life of Jesus. There are nine extra-biblical references to Jesus within 150 years of his death: “Josephus, the Jewish historian; Tacitus, the Roman historian; Pliny the Younger, a politician of Rome; Phlegon, a freed slave who wrote histories; Lucian, the Greek satirist; Celsus, a Roman philosopher; and probably the historians Suetonius and Thallus, as well as the prisoner Mara Bar-Serapion.” In fact, if you were to examine the mentions of Tiberius Caesar within 150 years of his death, we would come to a total of 10 mentions: “Tacitus, Suetonius, Velleius Paterculus, Plutarch, Pliny the Elder, Strabo, Seneca, Valerius Maximus, Josephus, and Luke”.
It would take long to explain everything that the above people had written, but you can search their names on the internet and visit the below site as well to gain more information.
http://www.knowwhatyoubelieve.com/believe/evidence/did_jesus_exist.htm
The Second Part : The Holy Trinity. Is Jesus God? If Jesus was God, why did He pray to the Father in Heaven? How can the Father and Jesus be one God? Why did Jesus have to suffer on the Cross?
Answer:
First let me start with a few verses from the Bible and then explain them below that.
Jesus said in John 10:30 "I and the Father are one."
Immediately after hearing this, people were enraged and as mentioned in John 10: 31-39:
"Again the Jews picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus said to them, "I have shown you many great miracles from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?"
"We are not stoning you for any of these," replied the Jews, "but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God."
Jesus answered them, "Is it not written in your Law, 'I have said you are gods'If he called them 'gods,' to whom the word of God came—and the Scripture cannot be broken— what about the one whom the Father set apart as his very own and sent into the world? Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, 'I am God's Son'? Do not believe me unless I do what my Father does. But if I do it, even though you do not believe me, believe the miracles, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father."Again they tried to seize him, but he escaped their grasp."
To the question, How can there be a God the Father and God the Son when everyone claims that there is only one God.
To answer this, you would need to read the Bible closely.
The New Testament, speaks about God the Son, which everyone knows. The Old Testament speaks about God the Father.
In the Old Testament, in the creation "God made the man fall asleep and while he was sleeping, he took out one of the mans ribs and closed up the flesh and formed a woman out of the rib and brought her to him." Genesis 2:21-22
"That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united with his wife, and they become one" Genesis 2:24
Read the 2 verses carefully, you would realise that from one human being the other was created. When they join together they are not 2 persons, but One.
In the Old Testament, God the Father,interacted with humans through a burning flame, through ligthning in the cloud, by light shining so brightly that people had to close their eyes and he also appeared through visions and dreams to various prophets and gave them the power to predict the future and perform various miracles. In spite of all of this, people did not follow Him and instead made statues of kings and animals and worshipped them instead of the true God.
God saw that even when he had performed great miracles, given the 10 commandments and punished kings who opposed God and blessed people who followed Him, people still led sinful lives and refused to turn to God.
In the New Testament - John 3:16 teaches us: "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
Colossians 1:15-16; 2:9: “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. . . . For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form. . .”
John 3:16 states that God loved the world.
Colossians 1 states that He is the image of the invisible God.
Now read the below lines and compare it with Genesis chapter 2:
God wanted to save sinners and people who were being lost, so he sent his only begotten Son. God sent a part of himself in the form of Jesus to be born a human being.
((I say part, since Jesus says in John 17:5 "And now, Father, bring me into the glory we shared before the world began."
Dont think too much into this now, as you may not be able to understand it at this point. You would get a full answer and understand, once you completely read the article that I have written on this page.))
Just as a normal baby would inherit the genes and DNA of his Father, Jesus inherited the power of God in himself.
"How will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?" The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God." (Luke 1:34-35)
Again with reference to Genesis 2, when Jesus was born, to the human being and common man, Jesus is a separate individual, but Jesus always knew that He and the Father were One. Jesus was not born from a human father, but was born to a Virgin. No man has ever been born from a Virgin, but Jesus was. He always knew that God the Father and God the Son were One, but humans could not understand this and they crucified Jesus for saying that He was One with God.
Jesus said in John 15:23 "He who hates me hates my Father as well."
If you read the book of Numbers in the Old Testament and other books from the Old Testament, you would find lot of instances where God orders for a sacrifice of lambs, goats, or the blood of an animal that has no defects to be sacrificed, to atone for peoples sins, but this did not stop people from sinning.
Jesus who had no defect and was free from sin, took the place of the lamb, to set all those who turn to him, free from sin, and He shed his blood and paid the price for all our sins as a last resort on the Cross. We do not have to offer any more sacrifices.
As mentioned in 1 John 1:7 "the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin."
In spite of this, if people still continue to sin and ignore Jesus sacrifice, as people did in the Old Testament, when people refused to listen to God, then the consequences are terrible.
The first instance in the Bible where Jesus is called as God, is mentioned in the Bible, after Jesus was crucified and rose from the dead and appeared to his disciples. ( I have answered this question in detail below as well, in a separate section separately, after explaining about the Trinity.)
It is mentioned in John 20 : 24-28
"Now Thomas , one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord!" But he said to them, "Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it."
A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!" Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe."
Thomas said to him, "My Lord and my God!"
Once they saw Jesus risen from the dead, they called Him God and they finally believed that Jesus and the Father were One.
Jesus confirmed this statement that he was Lord and God, immediately by saying in John 20:29
"Then Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."
In saying this Jesus also stated that people would no longer see him in physical form. He came once, preached the message of God, paid the price for all our sins by suffering on the Cross and was resurrected from the dead to live forever. Jesus has completed his part. It is now for us to have faith in Him, that he is God and that He and the Father are One.
We have only a short life of 60 to 70 years on Earth, but would have to spend eternity elsewhere. You can choose now. Turn to Jesus. Read the Bible. Follow it.
Many Christians believe in Jesus, but do not follow his teachings and instead lead sinful lives. Even the Devil believes that Jesus exists. Just believing will not save anyone. Putting all Jesus teachings to practice in their daily lives is what is going to save you.
Why did Jesus pray? If He is God, why did Jesus pray?
Prayer was an important part of Jesus' life. Many times in the Gospels, we read that Jesus prayed or went alone to pray apart from the disciples. Why did Jesus pray? Jesus prayed because of His relationship with the Father. In John chapter 17, we find Jesus' high priestly prayer. This prayer is Jesus' intercession for the disciples and all who would believe in Him because of their testimony (John 17:20). In this prayer, we see Jesus' relationship with the Father and the confidence that He has in His Father's perfect provision and plan. Jesus' relationship with the Father was the power that brought salvation to man. Jesus laid aside His glory and took on the mantle of flesh (Phillipians 2:5-8) and while He wore that mantle, He was obedient to the Father. Why did Jesus pray? Jesus prayed because of His dependence upon and His obedience to the Father. Jesus 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 hath sent Me" (John 5:30). Therefore, Jesus was in complete submission to the Father.
The Third Part : What is the Holy Spirit?
Answer :
Now that you have read how God the Father and God the Son are One. You may still have doubts on how the Holy Spirit is connected with them.
I would explain to you what the Holy Spirit is, but for that you have to first read the below verses to understand clearly
For this you have to first refer
In Luke 1:26-34 "God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you." Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God.You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus.He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David,and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end." "How will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?"
Continuing from above,in Luke 1:35 The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God."
In John 3:34-35 "For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the Spirit without limit.The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands."
In Luke we come to know, that Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit and not from a human father.
In John we come to know that God has given the Spirit without limit to Jesus.
Jesus was a human when He was on Earth. He prayed like a human being. He attended prayer temples as a human being. He ate food, drank water and washed himself like a human being.He felt sorrow and pain like a human being.
But the One thing that made Jesus special and unique was that He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and God gave Him the Holy Spirit without limit.
Throughout Jesus life on Earth, he preached the message of God, with the Spirit of God in Him.
Jesus was always in danger of being murdered when he was a human being, right from the time he was a new born baby
In Matthew 2:13 we know that King Herod wanted to kill Jesus, when Jesus was just a new born baby.
Throughout Jesus life on Earth, people wanted to kill Jesus,because he questioned their authority, religious beliefs, their teachings, healed on a Sabbath and, also openly forgave sins, which made people angry as only God could forgive sins and by saying that He forgave sins, he was equalling himself with God.
They finally succeeded in killing Jesus on the day which we all now call the Good Friday.
On this day Jesus was whipped in public, crowned his head with thorns, a heavy cross was put on his shoulder and was made to carry the cross with all the pain, of blood flowing from his head, his body paining with all the lashes received, the burden of carrying the cross and finally nails peircing his hand and legs and a spear finally entering his heart.
There are a lot of descriptions of this crucifixion in various movies on Jesus and in pictures. You would have to watch Mel Gibsons " The Passion Of Christ" which shows the actual brutal manner in which people of those days crucified Jesus.
Now coming back to the Holy Spirit, as I mentioned ,the Spirit of God was with Jesus throughout His life on Earth.
Jesus took the sins of the whole world in himself on the Cross. The Holy Spirit cannot exist in a body that is filled with Sin, and hence Jesus had to finally give back the spirit of God which was always in Him, back to God the Father.
Jesus finally gave back the Spirit to God the Father, on the Cross, when after suffering all the abuses, torture, humiliation and pain on the Cross.
As mentioned in Luke 23:46 Jesus called out with a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." When he had said this, he breathed his last."
Now was this the end of Jesus. After Jesus dying on the Cross, the disciples were very scared and feared for their lives (Matthew 26 :55-58), but as we all know, Jesus disciples finally spread His message through all parts of the world and were finally martyred for spreading Jesus message.
Now why were these disciples who were so scared and afraid for their lives, suddenly become so brave in preaching His message, even at the cost of laying down their own lives.
This is where the power of the Holy Spirit can now be seen.
Jesus took the sin of all people of the world into his body on the Cross. He cleansed the sins of the whole world by shedding his own blood on the Cross. As mentioned earlier.
If you read the book of Numbers in the Old Testament and other books from the Old Testament, you would find lot of instances where God orders for a sacrifice of lambs, goats, or the blood of an animal that has no defects to be sacrificed, to atone for peoples sins, but this did not stop people from sinning. Jesus who had no defect and was free from sin, took the place of the lamb, to set all those who turn to him, free from sin, and He shed his blood and paid the price for all our sins as a last resort on the Cross. We do not have to offer any more sacrifices. As mentioned in 1 John 1:7 "the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin."
Death could conquer Jesus only as long as He was human.
After having being put to death. God the Father, gave Jesus a New Spirit and resurrected Him from the dead. With this Holy Spirit, Jesus was no longer a Human, but was now One and same as God. Now he could appear and disappear from various places whenever He wanted.
As mentioned in Luke 24: 30-31 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight."
In John 20 Jesus appeared to his disciples even though the doors were locked.
In Luke 24: 45-49
Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures.He told them, "This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day,and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.You are witnesses of these things.I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high."
This clothed with power from on High is the "Holy Spirit". A more detailed and clearer explanation of the Holy Spirit is given below.
Not everyone who lives on this Earth is filled with the Holy Spirit. Its given to only those who believe in Jesus as their God and Saviour and follow his teachings and ask to be filled with the Holy Spirit.
As Jesus mentioned in Luke 11:11-13 " “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
If you believe in the Holy Spirit and ask to be filled with the Holy Spirit, then you believe that Jesus is your God and believe that he is the Son of God, but if you do not, then you are rejecting Jesus. As Jesus mentioned in John 3:16-18 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son."
In John 20 :22 Jesus said " Receive the Holy Spirit" .Not everyone who lives on this Earth is filled with the Holy Spirit. Its given to only those who believe in Jesus as their God and Saviour and follow his teachings and ask to be filled with the Holy Spirit.
As Jesus mentioned in Luke 11:11-13 " “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
If you believe in the Holy Spirit and ask to be filled with the Holy Spirit, then you believe that Jesus is your God and believe that he is the Son of God, but if you do not, then you are rejecting Jesus. As Jesus mentioned in John 3:16-18 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son."
After Jesus was crucified and resurrected to life , Jesus appeared to his disciples as mentioned in, John 20 :19-22
"Peace be with you." When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you." And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. "
Ephesians 4 : 29-32
"When you talk, don't say any bad things. But say things that people need--things that will help other people become stronger. Then the things you say will help the people who listen to you. And don't make the Holy Spirit sad. The Spirit is God's proof that you belong to God. God gave you that Spirit to show that God will make you free at the right time. Never be bitter or angry or mad. Never shout angrily or say things to hurt other people. Never do anything evil. Be kind and loving to each other. Forgive each other the same as God forgave you in Christ".
The Holy Spirit is the bridge to God within you. It is the part of your mind—the part of your Spirit—that is joined with the Mind of God. The Holy Spirit is the Voice for God and acts as a reminder to all of God's children of the unconditional love that God has for them. As mentioned in Ephesians 4 don't make the Holy Spirit sad. The Spirit is God's proof that you belong to God. God gave you that Spirit to show that God will make you free at the right time.
Ephesians 4 : 30
And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God [do not offend or vex or sadden Him], by Whom you were sealed (marked, branded as God's own, secured) for the day of redemption (of final deliverance through Christ from evil and the consequences of sin).
The Holy Spirit is composed of intellect, emotions and will.
In 1 Corinthians 2:11, we see an example of the Holy Spirit’s intellect and will: “For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.”
In Romans 15:30, we see the Holy Spirit has emotion, as represented by the capacity to love:“Now I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ's sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me;”
Although the Holy Spirit has all the characteristics of God, He has specific roles and functions in our lives.
In John 16:13, we see the Spirit of Truth as our guide: “How be it when He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth: for He shall not speak of Himself; but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak: and He will show you things to come.”
In John 14:26, we learn that the Holy Spirit is our Counselor and teacher: “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in My name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.”
In 1 Corinthians 3:16, we see that the Holy Spirit lives inside us: “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?”
In Acts 1:8, we understand where our power comes from: “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you."
In Romans 8:26, we learn that the Holy Spirit is there for us in times of weakness and prayer: “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.”
The Holy Spirit is not a vague, ethereal life force. He is not impersonal or unthinking. The Holy Spirit is a “person” equal in every way with God, the Father, and God, the Son. The Bible tells us that all the characteristics of God apparent in the Father and the Son are equally apparent in the Holy Spirit.
In 1 Corinthians 3:16, we see that the Holy Spirit lives inside us: “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?”
The Holy Spirit, Father and Son all comprise a unified Godhead known in Christianity as the “Trinity.” A common misconception is that Christians believe in three different gods. This isn’t correct. While each “personage” is distinct in function, each shares together in the same deity and each reflects the divine attributes of the one living God.
Choosing to live at one with God and follow the way of Jesus changes people. Christians speak of a sense of being accompanied and directed through life by an unseen presence. This is the Holy Spirit – the form in which God invisibly lives within humans. Being aware of the inner presence of the Holy Spirit gives a real enrichment to the lives of believers.
The Bible lists nine highly desirable features which Christians should expect to increase and to improve their lives as a result of a relationship with God. They are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
Every Christian says the Lords Prayer (Our Father who art in Heaven) and may have said it hundreds of times , since this is taught to them right from their childhood. But very few of them know that they have no right to say this prayer, if they have any enemies or hate someone or cannot forgive someone. This is because there is a line in the Lords Prayer ("Forgive us our trespasses/sins, as we forgive those who trespass/sin against us".), which says that you forgive everyone who sins against you, but in truth you do not and prefer to continue hating someone rather than forgiving them. If you cannot forgive everyone who has wronged you, then you cannot expect God to forgive you and neither can you say the Lords Prayer, since you would be lying to God by saying this prayer.
Jesus has said in Mark 11:25-26"And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone,forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father who is in heaven forgive your sins".
This petition of the Lord's Prayer is a demanding one. Not only do we ask God's forgiveness for our daily offenses, but we link God's forgiveness of us with our forgiveness of others. Forgiving others is not always easy to do. We need God's help to do it. But it must be done or we ourselves cannot receive God's mercy or the Holy Spirit.
Galatians 5: 19-26
"The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other."
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Is Jesus God ?
Jesus is never recorded in the Bible as saying the exact words, “I am God.”
That does not mean, however, that He did not proclaim that He is God. Take for
example Jesus’ words in John 10:30, “I and the Father are one.” At first
glance, this might not seem to be a claim to be God. However, look at the
Jews’ reaction to His statement, “We are not stoning you for any of these,
replied the Jews, but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God”
(John 10:33). The Jews understood Jesus’ statement to be a claim to be God. In
the following verses, Jesus never corrects the Jews by saying, “I did not
claim to be God.” That indicates Jesus was truly saying He was God by
declaring, “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30). John 8:58 is another
example. Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, before Abraham was born, I
am!" Again, in response, the Jews take up stones in an attempt to stone Jesus
(John 8:59). Why would the Jews want to stone Jesus if He hadn’t said
something they believed to be blasphemous, namely, a claim to be God?
I will give you even more proof that Jesus is God. Keep reading whats written below, with links from the Old and New Testament in the Bible.
Going back to the Old Testament
Exodus 3
Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up.Moses saw at once that this was no ordinary fire. Then he heard a voice
speaking to him, telling him to take off his shoes because he was standing on
holy ground. You see God was there with him, only he didn’t know it then.
But soon he realized who was speaking to him. It was the God of Abraham, the
God of Isaac, the God of Jacob. This was no stranger, then, who spoke to Moses
from the burning bush. Moses’ mother, as we have learned, had told him about
this wonderful God who had made promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It was
the God of the Hebrews, and therefore Moses’ God, who was speaking to him.
Exodus 3 :13-14
Moses said to God, "Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, 'The God
of your fathers has sent me to you,' and they ask me, 'What is his name?' Then
what shall I tell them?"God said to Moses, "I am who I am .This is what you are to say to the
Israelites: 'I AM has sent me to you.' "
Moses was very close to God and God spoke to him personally on many ocassions,
but it was always through a light shining brightly, a burning flame or a
lightning cloud or burning bush. God was very pleased with Moses and, Moses
once requested to see how God looked like and this was the reply from God
Exodus 33 :20-23
But," he said, "you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live."Then the LORD said, "There is a place near me where you may stand on a rock.
When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock and cover you
with my hand until I have passed by. Then I will remove my hand and you will
see my back; but my face must not be seen."
The light of God was so bright, that it even shined brightly on his face
Exodus 34 :29-35
When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the Testimony in
his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken
with the LORD. When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, his face was
radiant, and they were afraid to come near him. But Moses called to them; so
Aaron and all the leaders of the community came back to him, and he spoke to
them.Afterward all the Israelites came near him, and he gave them all the
commands the LORD had given him on Mount Sinai.
When Moses finished speaking to them, he put a veil over his face.But whenever
he entered the LORD's presence to speak with him, he removed the veil until he
came out. And when he came out and told the Israelites what he had been
commanded,they saw that his face was radiant. Then Moses would put the veil
back over his face until he went in to speak with the LORD.
As mentioned earlier in Exodus 3:13-14 God refers to Himself being "I am who I
am"
Now Jesus mentioned the word Iam on many ocassions, but these were all when He
was in the form of a human being living on Earth. (You can refer the following
verses John 6:51 ,John 8:23 ,John 8:12 ,John 10:9 ,John 10:11 ,John 10:36
,John 11:25 ,John 14:6 ,John 15:1 ,Matthew 26 :62-64 ,Luke 22:70 )
In John 8:58 "I tell you the truth," Jesus answered, "before Abraham was born, I am!"
I will come back to the above references again, but first read below.
The below verses speaks about the stoning of Stephen
Acts 7:54-60
When they heard this, they were furious and gnashed their teeth at him.But
Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of
God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God."Look," he said, "I see
heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God."At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they
all rushed at him,dragged him out of the city and began to stone him.
Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their clothes at the feet of a young man named
Saul.While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."
Then he fell on his knees and cried out, "Lord, do not hold this sin against
them." When he had said this, he fell asleep."
Stephen says Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. Dont these words sound familiar.
Jesus uttered these same words on the Cross when He gave the spirit to His
Father. Stephen says that He sees the Son of Man standing next to God, but
when he calls out to God to receive his spirit, he says Lord Jesus receive my
spirit. After the resurrection of Jesus, God the Father was One and same with
Jesus. Stephen was filled with the Holy Spirit, and this spirit made Him say
Lord Jesus receive my spirit,which was the same as giving his spirit to God.
After Jesus rose from the dead and ascended into Heaven, the light again shone
brightly from the sky, on one person named Saul, who started to murder and
persecute Christians,he was an extreme persecutor of Christians, even sharing
in the murder of Stephen,a disciple of Christ. He even wanted to kill all of
Jesus disciples and anyone who preached the message of Jesus.
Now coming back to Exodus 3:13-14 God refers to Himself being "I am who I am"
The light that shined brightly from the sky, once again appeared on Saul
As mentioned in Acts 9 :3-9
As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed
around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, "Saul, Saul,
why do you persecute me?""Who are you, Lord?" Saul asked."I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting," he replied."Now get up and go into the
city, and you will be told what you must do."The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but
did not see anyone.Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he
could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus.For three days he
was blind, and did not eat or drink anything."
Acts 9:15-19
But the Lord said to Ananias, "Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry
my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel. I
will show him how much he must suffer for my name."Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he
said, "Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you
were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the
Holy Spirit." Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul's eyes, and he
could see again. He got up and was baptized,and after taking some food, he
regained his strength.
In Exodus 33:20-23 God tells Moses that no one can see His face and still live after that. God only shows his back to Moses and tells Moses to not see His face.
Since people kept sinning and did not know how to have a personal relationship with God, like Moses had, God finally decided that since people were not believing in Him and were instead worshipping statues of kings and animals, God finally sent someone with whom everyone could identify God. This is Jesus. This was one of the reasons (Colossians 1: 15-29) apart from the main aim of saving sinners (1Timothy 1:12-17), that God sent Jesus, who was a part of God and was with God even before the world was created.
Now does this mean that Christians have 2 Gods - God the Father and God the Son. The answer to this is NO. Christians have only ONE God and this is JESUS.After the resurrection Jesus was again brought back into the Fathers glory, which Jesus had requested when HE was a human being on Earth.((Jesus said in John 17:5 "And now, Father, bring me into the glory we shared before the world began."))
To prove that Jesus was now ONE and same as the Father and to fully understand what Jesus meant in John 14:6-11 when He said "Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father" . He appeared to Saul in the same shining light that He used to appear in the Old Testament. But this time, unlike when Moses asked Who He was , at that time He said "Iam who Iam". This time along with the word IAM there is a name attached.
In Acts 9:5-6 the word "I AM" , by which God always identified Himself, is finally given an identity that everyone knew and could relate to as the people in those times had seen Jesus and heard about Him. "IAM JESUS" This was the final moment when Jesus at last announced that now He is God and he has regained the glory of being God once again.
Afer this incident, Saul changed his name to Paul and spread the message of
Jesus through all parts of the world along with Jesus disciples.
Paul faced various hardships and diffculties, but with Gods help he overcame every obstacle. You can read about all his activities in the Bible.
These are the books written by Paul in the Bible New Testament.
Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians, 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon.
I do hope by now all your doubts on Jesus being God is clarified. Jesus is God.
If you are still not convinced, and require more references, then please refer the answer to the last question that I have answered, which is at the bottom of this webpage.
As I said earlier, that I can write even more to convince all of you, but I feel for that I may have to write a book, since the Bible teaches you so many things, that no other book on Earth can provide. It is the most inspiring and life giving book ever written. It is also a part of history ( remember BC Before Christ and AD Anno Domini - meaning in the year of our Lord), this year is 2008 AD. The Bible is the word of God. Read it and come closer to our Lord and God Jesus.
I end with this verse from John 14: 6-11
Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him."
Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us."
Jesus answered: "Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'? Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves."
Most people stop reading the Bible, after their teenage years, when they study the Bible during Sunday school and childrens study sessions. Where is your Bible placed at home. When was the last time you opened and read it. You have only one life to live. Make it a point to read the entire Bible, starting with one chapter a day from the Old Testament. The Bible is the word of God. It is the most inspirational and lifegiving book ever written. Your first step towards building a closer relationship with God, is to open your Bible and read it.
As mentioned in Proverbs 19:27 : If you stop listening to instruction, my child, you will turn your back on knowledge."
Jesus said in Luke 11 : 9-10"So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened."
Dont be too busy to ignore God. Surely you can spend 5 to 10 minutes a day to read the Bible, the word of God. Without this you would not know the right path to God.
The horrible truth is ,if you are too busy, that you do not find any time for God in your daily lives, then someday God will take you at your word, and abandon you to your self-destructive ways forever. Today, though, he is Asking you to believe in Him, Seeking you to reveal His words and teachings, Knocking at your door, to let Him in your lives.
If you do not ask, seek or knock, while you are still alive, then the day will come after your life on Earth, when you will knock at his door saying, "Open to me." And Jesus will say, "Depart from me. I never knew you" (Matthew 25:11-12). He will open the door only to those who open the door to him. Your eternal destiny is in your hands right now, while Jesus knocks.
Like this I could provide lot more examples, but this is the easiest and shortest. The other answers could be too long for anyone to read. I suggest you read the Bible starting from the Old Testament, you would get even more answers to all your questions.
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The other general questions usually asked by atheists or the 13 questions for Christians to prove that Christianity is the true religion, are also going to be answered by me over here, in very simple terms for everyone to understand. The questions are :-1. Who created God?
2. Why is God called loving or merciful when, in the Old Testament's stories of the Israelite conquest, he specifically orders his chosen people to massacre their enemies, showing no mercy to men, women, even children and animals?
3. Does it make sense to claim, as the Bible does, that wrongdoing can be forgiven by magically transferring the blame from a guilty person to an innocent one, then punishing the innocent person?
4. Why does the Bible routinely depict God as manifesting himself in dramatic, unmistakable ways and performing obvious miracles even before the eyes of nonbelievers, when no such thing happens in the world today?
5. Why do vast numbers of Christians still believe in the imminent end of the world when the New Testament states clearly that the apocalypse was supposed to happen 2,000 years ago, during the lifetime of Jesus' contemporaries?
6. Why do Christians believe in the soul when neurology has found clear evidence that the sense of identity and personality can be altered by physical changes to the brain?
7. If it was always God's plan to provide salvation through Jesus, why didn't he send Jesus from the very beginning, instead of confusing and misleading generations of people by setting up a religion called Judaism which he knew in advance would prove to be inadequate?
8. Since the Bible states that God does not desire that anyone perish, but also states that the majority of humankind is going to hell, doesn't this show that God's plan of salvation is a failure even by his own standard? If this outcome is a success, what would count as a failure?
9. Why didn't God create human beings such that they freely desire to do good, thus removing the need to create a Hell at all? (If you believe this is impossible, isn't this the state that will exist in Heaven?)
10. Is it fair or rational for God to hide himself so that he can only be known by faith, then insist that every single human being find him by picking the right one out of thousands of conflicting and incompatible religions?
11. If you had the power to help all people who are suffering or in need, at no cost or effort to yourself, would you do it? If so, why hasn't God done this already?
12. Why should I believe that the Bible is accurate, or the word of God?
13 What is so special about Jesus? Why cant I just view him as an ordinary man or a teacher or a prophet? Why should I see him as God?
Answers for questions 1 to 13 :-
1) Who created Humans.? You may say The Big Bang. Then Who Created the Big Bang.? Particles ? Who created the particles ? I can keep going on and on.
Answer : Humans are not real since there is no evidence of their evolution.
Would you accept the above argument. ?
If I tell you Who Created God, then you would say Who created the one who created God and it would go on and on.
We know God is real, since we are real. If you deny God, then you have to deny your own existence, which is impossible. No matter how knowledgable or intelligent you are, you cannot deny that there has to be a supernatural force that has created our planet and our body and, that creator is God.
2) God does not tolerate sin or anyone who opposes him. In the Old Testament, he punished people during their life on Earth. After Jesus, he waits to see if anyone turns to Him during their life on Earth. If not, He would definitely massacre them .So God is the same. Its just that He gives you more time to live on Earth to believe in Him or to chose your own destiny after death.
3) If you are guilty, you would be punished.In the Old Testament, in order to forgive sins God asked for a lamb, goat, or the blood of an animal that has no defects to be sacrificed, for forgiving sins. Jesus who had no defect and was free from sin, took the place of the lamb, to set all those who turn to him, free from sin.
God has His own ways on how He forgives sins and how He wants people to worship Him.
Jesus said in John 3:11-12
"I tell you the truth, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things?"
Jesus said in Matthew 7 :21
""Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven."
Galatians 6 :7-10
"Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers."
4) The greatest miracle that God has already given is the Earth that you are living in. Even though you do not believe in Him, He lets you live on his creation and provides you with food, water, oxygen and freedom to choose your own destiny.
5) Actually it is written in the Bible, that there will be people like you who would ask this question. (A thousand years are like a day). Dont believe me, read the verses below from 2Peter 3:3-9"First of all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. They will say, "Where is this 'coming' he promised? Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation." But they deliberately forget that long ago by God's word the heavens existed and the earth was formed out of water and by water. By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance."
6)Jesus once asked this probing question: "Is anything worth more than your soul?"
He said in Matthew 16:26 "What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?"
Most people aren't aware they have a soul, much less that it has any intrinsic value. Instead, they're preoccupied with the way they look and feel, as well as with what they possess. Yet all of this will be gone someday. What really matters - the human soul, the eternal - is often ignored or even spurned.
Do you have any evidence in your atheist belief, as to who created the human body and brain. Physical changes to the brain? A big bang can never create vital human organs. It is God who has created the brain, eyes, ears, nose, heart etc in the human body, thousands of years ago. His intelligence can never be compared to anything in the entire universe. You may reply, well then who created God. To this my answer would be, you would definitely get a chance to ask God this question if you follow His teachings and reach Heaven after your life on Earth. But dont risk rejecting and saying God does not exist, and spend eternity in Hell.
As in 1 Corinthians 3 : 18 - 20
Let no man deceive himself. If any one of you thinks he is wise by the standards of this age, he should become a "fool" so that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God's sight. As it is written: "He catches the wise in their craftiness" and again, "The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile."
7) From the very beginning, God appeared to people in various forms, through a burning flame in the bush, through light shining brightly from the sky, through a cloud and also through visions given to prophets to proclaim his teachings and 10 commandments. When people still did not turn to Him, then He sent Jesus as a final call to people to turn to Him.
8) When there are people like you who are determined to show that Gods plan of salvation is a failure, since you do not want to believe in God, then for you, the plan is always going to fail as you do not believe in Him or His teachings. God does not want anyone to perish, which is why he allows people to live and determine their own destiny. If he was not patient, then he would have destroyed people who were against Him, as in the Old Testament. He gives you one full life to believe in Him. Its upto you, if you want to or not.
9) Even in Heaven, if you rebel against God, you would be thrown into Hell. Remember what happened to Lucifer, now known as Satan. God always gives freedom of choice. How you use it, determines your future.
10) Even after Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, healed lepers,lame,blind, deaf, dumb,skin diseases and forgave sins etc in front of huge gatherings of crowds, people were still against Him and decided to crucify Him. Even if he were amongst us now in physical form, sinful people would demand that he be crucified and tortured once again, since they enjoy the pleasures of sin and do not like hearing his message .He has already come once and suffered and rose in glory for eternity. You would also live only once and would have to face judgement, whether you believe in Him or not.
John 3 :18-21
"Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God."
Revelations 20:12-15
"And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire."
11) God does help people who are suffering and in need, but not everyone. He leaves a few, to see if people in better situations would help them, to test their faith and character on the day of judgement. Whether at a cost or no cost, if you have a conscience (maybe you do not believe in this as well) you would help all those who are suffering or in need.
I end with the following words of Jesus (Matthew 5: 1-12)
Blessed are the poor: for theirs is the kingdom of God.
Blessed are you who hunger now: for they shall be filled.
Blessed are you that weep now: for they shall laugh.
Blessed are you when men shall hate you, and when they exclude you from their company, and reproach you, and call out your name as evil, and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
Rejoice in that day, and be exceeding glad, and leap for joy; for your reward is great in heaven, for this is the same way their fathers treated the prophets and persecuted the prophets that came before you.
12) 2 Timothy 3:16
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.
Galatians 1:11-12
I want you to know, brothers, that the gospel I preached is not something that man made up. I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ.2 Timothy 3:16 tells us that the Bible was "breathed out" by God.
Galatians 1: 11-12 tells us that the gospel was a revelation from Jesus Christ himself, which was recorded by Jesus disciples and Paul.
God himself chose the disciples and the people whom He knew were going to spread His word and write the Bible.
The Bible was written by approximately 40 men of diverse backgrounds over the course of 4000 years. Despite being penned by different authors over 40 centuries, the Bible does not contradict itself and does not contain any errors. The authors all present different perspectives, but they all proclaim the same one true God, and the same one way of salvation—Jesus Christ (John 14:6; Acts 4:12).
The Bible is a part of our History containing actual Historical events . I have listed a few of them below for your reference:
4004 BC Adam and Eve's first two children are born, Cain and Abel (Gen. 4). Cain kills Abel.
3900 BC Enoch is born, Cain's first son. Seth is born to Adam and Eve. Irad, Cain's first grandchild, is born (Gen. 4).
3400 BC Enoch, the great, great, great, grandchild of Seth, is born. At this same general time period, Methuselah was born (Gen. 5)
3000 BC Noah is born (Gen. 5: 29).
2500 BC Noah's sons are both, Shem, Ham, and Jepheth (Gen. 6: 9). It was about this time that Noah was commissioned to build the Ark (Gen. 6).
2350 BC The flood waters cover the entire earth (Gen. 7). (James Ussher suggest 2349 as the flood date, the Samaritan Pentateuch has 2998, the Hebrew Bible has 2288, and the Septuagint lists 3246 has the date of the flood). Noah's three sons began to repopulate the earth (Gen. 9: 1).
2300 BC The Tower of Babel and its destruction (Gen. 11). The confusion of tongues and the scattering of the people.
2000 BC The death of Noah (Gen. 9: 28, 29).
1920 BC The call of Abram occurs at about this time (Gen. 12: 1). Abram and Lot depart Haran, as God instructed. God promised to make a great nation (Gen. 12). A son is promised to Abram (Gen. 15).
1890 BC The destruction of Sodom, Gomorrah and the cities of the plain (Gen. 19). The birth of Isaac, Abram's promised son (Gen. 19, 21: 3).
1872 BC Abraham is put to a test regarding Isaac (Gen. 22).
1730 BC Joseph is sold to the Midianites and his consequent experiences that result in him becoming a ruler in Egypt (Gen. 37 - 47).
1680 BC The Book of Genesis comes to a close, having covered approximately 2300 years of history.
1571 BC Moses is born . Moses is adopted into the Egyptian royal court.
1491 BC The call of Moses and his commission (the burning bush experience, Ex. 2). The ten plagues (Ex. 7 - 12). Israel is liberated from Egyptian bondage (Ex. 12 ff.). The giving of the Ten Commandment Law (Ex. 20, some provide the date of 1445 for the giving of the law). Hence, after about 2, 500 years the system of Patriarchy comes to a close.
1451 BC The death of Moses (Deut. 34). Joshua is appointed as Moses' successor (Josh. 1).
1425 BC The Abrahamic land promise is realized (Gen. 12; Josh. 24).
1400 BC The beginning of the judges and their governing of Israel, covering about 305 years (see Judges 1 - I Samuel 8).
1095 BC The appointment of Saul to be King of Israel (I Sam. 10, some have 1050 as the date).
1063 BC David defeats Goliath (I Sam. 17).
1055 BC David is appointed King (2 Sam. 2).
1015 BC Solomon, David's son, is appointed King (I Kgs. 1, 2).
992 BC The Queen of Sheba visits Solomon (I Kgs. 10).
975 BC Solomon's death and Rehoboam succeeds Solomon to the throne (I Kgs. 12). The Kingdom is divided. When Solomon died, the fight for his throne results in the twelve tribes of Israel dividing, creating the Great Schism. The two southern tribes, Benjamine and Judah, maintaining Jerusalem as their capital, become "The Kingdom of Judah" under the reign of Rehoboam. He reigns 17 years. The ten northern tribes of Israel revolt, becoming "The Kingdom of Israel" under the rulership of Jeroboam. He reigns 21 years. Israel's continues, with 19 Kings from the reign of Solomon, for 254 years. Israel makes Samaria its capitol.
722 BC The Assyrians capture Samaria and take Israel captive (cp. 2 Chroni. 33, end of the Kingdom of Israel).
597 BC Jerusalem is captured by Babylon (cp. 2 Chroni. 36).
536 BC First group returns from captivity (see Ezra 2).
458 BC The second group returns from bondage (Ezra 8).
444 BC The walls of Jerusalem are rebuilt under the leadership of Nehemiah (Nehe. 1-7).
398 BC The completion of the 39 books that constitute the "Old Testament" see Malachi). This date began the "400 years of silence" between Malachi and Matthew (New Testament).
New Testament Time Line (Most dates are approximate, the below time table is primarily based on Jesus being born in 3 BC, as some Roman calendars "suggest this date" for Jesus' birth):
6-3 BC Jesus and John the Baptist are born (many believe Jesus was actually born BC because of a matter involving the Roman Calendar). Herod dies and is succeeded by Archelaus.
6 AD Annas becomes High Priest. Archelaus is deposed by Augustus and replaced by Herod Antipas.
7 AD A young Jesus astounds the priests in the Temple with his wisdom (Lk. 2).
14 AD Augustus dies and is succeeded by Tiberius as emperor.
15 AD Annas is removed as High Priest and son-in-law Caiaphas eventually succeeds him.
26 AD Pontius Pilate becomes Procurator of Judea until 36 AD.
27 AD John the Baptist began is ministry (Lk. 3: 1, 2). Jesus is baptized by John and also begins his ministry (Mk. 1: 4-11).
30 AD Jesus is crucified and resurrected from the dead (some scholars list the date as 33 AD. There are good arguments for both dates).
32 AD Gamaliel encourages tolerance of the Christians in his famous speech (Acts 5: 33-42).
36 AD Steven becomes the first martyr. It appears that about this same year, Paul is mentioned as persecuting Christians and later becoming a Christian himself (Acts 7, 9).
40 AD The Gentiles are officially received as exemplified in the case of Cornelius and his household (Acts 10). Caligula is assassinated and Claudius becomes emperor of Rome until 54 AD.
43 AD Paul and Barnabas preach the gospel in Antioch (Acts 11: 20-26).
44 AD Paul and Barnabas take contributions to Jerusalem from Antioch (Acts 11: 27-30). James, the brother of John, is put to death by Herod Agrippa I (Acts 12: 1-3).
46 AD Paul goes on his first preaching trip (Acts 13, 14, the first trip was probably 46-49 or part of 50 AD).
49 AD Paul and Barnabas return to Antioch after their first preaching trip (Acts 14).
50 AD The famous Jerusalem meeting in which the issue of the Christians of Jewish descent binding the Law of Moses on Christians of Gentile ancestry was discussed and debated (Acts 15).
51 AD Paul and Barnabas separate over John Mark (Acts 15: 36). Paul and Silas went on Paul's second organized preaching trip (Acts 15: 36 - 18: 23, about three years, 54 AD).
52 AD Some place the writing of Galatians and perhaps the Epistle of James at 52 AD.
54 AD Paul returns to Antioch of Syria, ending his second preaching trip (Acts 18: 22). There is great likelihood that the event mentioned in Galatians 2: 11-14 occurred at this time. It is believed to have also been 54 AD that Paul went on his third trip in preaching the gospel (Acts 18: 23).
56 AD It was during 55, 56 AD that Paul appears to have written I and 2 Corinthians.
58 AD Paul begins his return trip to Jerusalem (Acts 20: 3).
59 AD Paul is arrested and imprisoned in Caesarea for two years (Acts 22-24).
60 AD Some believe Mark and Matthew were written in 60 AD.
62 AD After two years, it is believed that Nero found Paul innocent of wrongdoing and Paul is set free (Acts 28). It was during this confinement in Rome that Paul wrote his prison epistles (Ephesians, Colossians, etc.). Acts would then cover a span of about 30 years and is a valuable source of information relative to inception, growth, and problems experienced by the early church.
64 AD Rome burns and Nero blames the Christians. As a result severe persecution against Christians is experienced.
66 AD Some list 66 AD as the time of Paul's second imprisonment. Paul apparently is put to death at this time (cp. 2 Tim. 4: 6-8).
70 AD The Temple at Jerusalem is destroyed as prophesied by Jesus (Matt. 24).
81 AD Domitian is appointed emperor and eventually begins severe persecution of Christians.
85 AD The writing of Second and Third John.
96 AD John is on the Island of Patmos to receive visions that constitute the Book of Revelation. John is believed to have died in Ephesus in 100 AD. With the death of the apostles, the age of inspiration came to a close .
13) Jesus was born from a Virgin. No man or prophet has ever been born from a Virgin. If Jesus was just an ordinary man or teacher or prophet, then there was no need for Him to be born from a virgin. Jesus had to be fully man and, at the same time have the power of God in Him. The virgin birth solved both of these requirements: Jesus was born of a woman so as to be fully man; yet was born as result of the miraculous intervention of God, by means of the Holy Spirit, the result of which was that Adam's sin nature was not passed to Jesus and, He was able to speak and, perform miracles, with complete authority and, claim boldly that He was the Son Of God.
700 years before the birth of Christ, the prophet Isaiah said, "Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel (Immanuel means God with us)" (Isaiah 7:14).
The virgin birth is an essential doctrine of historic Christianity. Jesus did not have a sin nature. To be the perfect sacrifice, as Jesus was, it required that He be free of sin.
During His trial before the Jewish leaders, the High Priest demanded of Jesus, “I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God" (Matthew 26:63). Jesus responded, “Yes, it is as you say, ‘but I say to all of you: In the future you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven” (Matthew 26:64). The Jewish leaders responded by accusing Jesus of blasphemy (Matthew 26:65-66). Later, before Pontius Pilate, “The Jews insisted, ‘We have a law, and according to that law He must die, because He claimed to be the Son of God’” (John 19:7). Why would claiming to be the “Son of God” be considered blasphemy and be worthy of a death sentence? The Jewish leaders understood exactly what Jesus meant by the phrase “Son of God.” To be the “Son of God” is to be of the same nature as God. The “Son of God” is “of God.” The claim to be of the same nature as God, to in fact “be God,” was blasphemy to the Jewish leaders; therefore, they demanded Jesus’ death. Hebrews 1:3 expresses this very clearly, “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His being” (Additional references on Jesus being God are mentioned below)
Jesus is God,
1.Thomas calls Jesus God in John 20:28 (Note, Thomas addresses Jesus
specifically.)
2. Jesus is God in Heb. 1:8
3. John the apostle states that Jesus was the Word which was God that became
flesh (John 1:1-14)
4. The phrase "Call upon the name of the LORD" (Hebrew, YHWH, i.e., Psalm
116:4) used only of God on the OT, and translated into the Greek in the LXX as
"Call upon the name of the LORD (greek, KURIOS)," applied to Jesus in the NT
(1 Cor. 1:2) Jesus is God in flesh
5. The apostle John says that Jesus was , "...calling God His own Father,
making Himself equal to God," (John 5:18)
6. Jesus said that He and the Father are One (John 10:30), that caused the Pharisees to
claim that Jesus was making Himself out to be God.
7. Jesus knew all things (John 21:17)
8. Jesus knew all men (John 16:30)
9. Jesus is everywhere (Matt. 28:20)
10. Jesus Christ, dwells in you (Col. 1:27)
11. Jesus is the exact representation of the Nature of God (Heb. 1:3)
12. Jesus is eternal (Micah 5:1-2)
13. Jesus gives eternal life (John 10:27-28)
14. Jesus is our only Lord and Master (Jude 4)
15. Jesus is called the Mighty God (Isaiah 9:6)
16. Jesus is called the Mighty God (Isaiah 9:6) and "God" also be called the
Mighty God in Isaiah 10:21
17. Jesus is able to raise Himself from the dead (John 2:19-21)
18. Jesus created all things (Col. 1:16-17), it is God who created all things
by Himself (Isaiah 44:24)
19. Jesus searches the hearts and minds of the people (Rev. 2:23)
20. Jesus is worshiped (Matt. 2:2-11; Matt.14:33; Matt.28:9; John 9:35-38;
Heb. 1:6) Only God can be worshipped (Matt. 4:10) (same Greek word for worship
is used in each place.)
21. In the OT God was seen (Exodus 6:2-3;Exodus 24:9-11; Num. 12:6-9; Acts
7:2), yet no man can see God (Exodus 33:20; John 1:18). It was not the Father
that was seen in the OT (John 6:46). Who, then were they seeing? See John
8:58.
22. Jesus claimed the divine name, "I AM", for Himself in John 8:58 see
Exodus 3:14.
23. Jesus says you must honor him even as you honor the Father (John 5:23).
24. Jesus gives life (John 5:21).
25. Jesus bears witness of Himself (John 8:18;John 14:6).
26. Jesus is the One who will judge you on judgement day (John 5:22-23). Only God can be the judge.
27. Jesus forgives sins (Luke 5:20) (Luke 24:47,Acts 10:43) .Only God can forgive sins.
1 John 5: 11-12
God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.
1 John 2: 22-23
Who is the liar? It is the man who denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a man is the antichrist—he denies the Father and the Son. No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also.
Philippians 2:5-11
Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
Who, being in very nature God,did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing,taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.And being found in appearance as a man,he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross!
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name,that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,in heaven and on earth and under the earth,and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,to the glory of God the Father.
Revelation 1 :17-18
When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: "Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.
John 14 :6
Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."
Colossians 1 :15
He is the image of the invisible God
God would judge you Not by your educational qualification or position or fame or money or what other people say about you. But He would judge you by what you do on this Earth. You have the choice now while you are living. Choose wisely where you would like to spend eternity. Read the Bible and follow Jesus teachings.
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