Showing posts with label purpose of God. Show all posts
Showing posts with label purpose of God. Show all posts

Friday 26 July 2019

Gospel of Thomas and Nature of Jesus

Jesus  Christ his original name was Jeshua ben Joseph. He was born in a Essene family and as such as a devout Jew he only worshipped the Only One True God of Israel, the God of Abraham Who is a singular eternal Spirit Being no man can see.

Throughout the times we can see Jews also at times came to worship several gods. At that time - Moses had to fight with that fact already and Jesus encountered it again. For Jesus it was clear that there is Only One True God, and that it was not him, but the one Who is greater than him and without Him Jesus can do nothing..

It is strange to find Jesus being aware of the plans for his future. So in the Gospel of Thomas Jesus is having a slap against Trinitarian doctrine, declaring that a doctrine of 3 gods is polytheistic if one understands that each of the gods is a separate god. Thus there is only one true God

Sayings
(30) Jesus said, "Where there are three gods, they are gods. Where there are two or one, I am with him."
Translated by Thomas O. Lambdin (from Coptic)

(30) Jesus said "Where there are three, they are without God, and where there is only one, I say, I am with that one."
Translated by Marvin Meyer (from Greek)

Jesus has always been with that One God of Israel Who is One, and not two or three.
Jesus is denouncing the idea of trinity, whether that be 3 in 1 or three separate beings.
To Jesus, for whom there is only One, denounces a cluster of three gods, also known as a trinity of gods.
This teaches us that the Father is the Undivided One, the Deity he is not divided into 3 persons.
Lots of Trinitarians argue with the first phrases of John's Gospel that Jesus would be God. Though they forget there is spoken about a word and The Word, the Speaking of God. 

The 'Word" appearing in flesh does not mean that Jesus was part of the trinity or an angel in heaven before he was born. First of all taht word becoming in the flesh gives us to understand taht what God spoke in the Garden of Edne had become a reality. For the apostle John it was very clear that his master teacher Jeshua (Jesus Christ) was that promised one who would break the curse of death.
Secondly, “to appear” means to look at behold, to allow one’s self to be seen, Jesus was in the world but the world did not know him until he made his appearance on the world stage, when he was about 30 years old.
 

It was the word that became flesh when Jesus says 
"I appeared in the flesh"
The Logos or word, which is identical with Theos or Deity, now Theos was the Logos, that is Deity and was the word having become flesh. This is Deity manifested in flesh. Jesus came from the seed of David according to the flesh that is in the sameness of sinful flesh but being the son of God his character was clean so he was without sin (that is transgression of God's law) but we may not forget he had the sinful nature and as such could be tempted and could sin. (Remember also that God can not be tempted and can not sin.)

From the Messianic Writings we come to know that it is in the sinless man of flesh and blood, who did not do his own will, but managed always to do God His Will that God condemned sin in the flesh when Jesus was made sin for us, for it was in the flesh of Jesus that God condemned sin in the flesh and killed the one who has the power of death that is the devil which is our own desires and when desire has conceived it gives birth to sin and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.

In the Gospel of Thomas it is said
(101) Jesus said, "Whoever does not hate his father and his mother as I do cannot become a disciple to Me. And whoever does [not] love his father and his mother as I do cannot become a [disciple] to Me. For My mother [gave me falsehood], but [My] true [Mother] gave me life."
For My birth mother [gave me death], but [My] true [Mother] gave me life."
Jesus birth mother (Miryam/Miriam/Mary/Maria) could only give him death or falsehood which we understand to be sin in the flesh. But his true mother give him life and as such the promised one by God, came into being only some 2 millennia ago (and not earlier). 


According to this physical law, the Seed of the woman spoken about in the Garden of Eden,  was born into the world from a woman of flesh and blood who also had a sinful nature. The nature of Mary was as unclean as that of other women; and therefore could give birth only to "a body" like her own, though especially "prepared of God" (Heb. 10:5).
Had Mary's nature been immaculate, as some claim, an immaculate body would have been born of her; which, therefore, would not have answered the purpose of God; which was to condemn sin in the flesh; a thing that could not have been accomplished, if there were no sin there.

This view of sin in the flesh is enlightening in the things concerning Jesus. The apostle says,

 "God made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin" (2 Cor. 5:21);
and this he explains in another place by saying, that
 "He sent his own son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh" (Rom. 8:3)
 in the offering of his body once (Heb. 10:10,12,14).

Far too many people forget that Jesus is the sent one from God who came to declare God and showing the world that he is the Way to God.


In case Jesus would not have the nature of man or when he would be God, we would not have anything of the then fraudulent actions, like his so called death, because God can not die. Then we would also have nothing with his so called resurrection, because when Jesus would be God than we still have no proof that man can step out of the dead.

Sin could also not have been condemned in the body of Jesus, if it had not existed there. Therefore Jesus had not to be God, but had to be a man of flesh and blood, able to sin and able to fail as well able to have a free choice to do as he wanted to do or to follow (and putting his own will aside) his heavenly Father, the Only One true God.

Jesus his body was as unclean as the bodies of those for whom he died; for he was born of a woman, and "not one" can bring a clean body out of a defiled body; for "that", says Jesus himself,
 "which is born of the flesh is flesh" (John 3:6).

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Find also to read:

Looking at what the Gospel of Thomas Teaches

Monday 18 June 2018

The Realm of profession in Christianity

A realm can be a space or area or sphere, but also a community or territory over which a sovereign rules; a kingdom.

Christ Jesus asked his followers to have him as a cornerstone and to gather in union, being part of his spiritual body. We may look at the realm of Christ, his royal domain, the kingdom he may govern from his heavenly Father. Those belonging to Christ should all be partakers of the Body of Christ and as such also be members of the realm of Christ. Together as members of the Body of Christ the followers of the Nazarene Jeshua should have as their profession the proclamation of the Good News of the coming Kingdom of God.

In Scriptures we do find people mentioned to be part of the realm of Christ.

Prophetic Patterns and Descriptions of People Now Living Who Will Inherit the Earthly Realm of God’s Kingdom
 
Foreshadowed by the following groups or individuals:
(1) Noah’s sons and daughters-in-law (Genesis 6-9).
(2) Lot and his daughters (Genesis 19).
(3) Joseph’s ten repentant half brothers (Genesis 37, 42-45).
(4) Famine-stricken Egyptians who sold themselves to Joseph (Genesis 41; 47:13-26).
(5) Mixed company that left Egypt with Israel (Exodus 12:38).
(6) Twelve non-Levite tribes of Israel on Atonement Day (Leviticus 16; Matthew 19:28).
(7) Alien residents in Israel (Leviticus 19:34).
(8) Hobab the brother-in-law of Moses (Numbers 10:29-32).
(9) Rahab of Jericho (Joshua 2, 6).
(10) Gibeonites who sought peace with Israel (Joshua 9, 10).
(11) Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite (Judges 4, 5).
(12) Jonathan son of King Saul (1 Samuel 18; 23:16, 17).
(13) Foreigners who fought along with David (2 Samuel 15:18-22).
(14) Queen of Sheba (1 Kings 10).
(15) Naaman cleansed of leprosy (2 Kings 5).
(16) Jehonadab the son of Rechab (2 Kings 10:15-28).
(17) Foreigners who prayed toward Jehovah’s temple (2 Chronicles 6:32, 33).
(18) Nethinim and sons of non-Israelite servants of Solomon (Ezra 2, 8).
(19) Rechabites (Jeremiah 35).
(20) Ebed-melech the Ethiopian (Jeremiah 38; 39:16-18).
(21) Repentant Ninevites (Jonah 3).

Additionally, described prophetically as follows:
(1) Families of the ground that bless themselves by means of Abraham through his seed (Genesis 12:3; 22:18).
(2) Nations that are glad with Jehovah’s people (Deuteronomy 32:43).
(3) Righteous ones, those hoping in Jehovah (Psalm 37:9, 29).
(4) Virgin companions of the bride (Psalm 45:14).
(5) Upright and blameless ones (Proverbs 2:21).
(6) Nations being taught at Jehovah’s house and walking in his paths (Isaiah 2:2-4).
(7) Nations that turn inquiringly to the Signal (Isaiah 11:10).
(8) Nations that come out of darkness (Isaiah 49:6, 9, 10).
(9) Nation not previously known (Isaiah 55:5).
(10) Foreigners ministering to Jehovah and loving his name (Isaiah 56:6).
(11) “Wealthiness of the sea,” “resources of the nations,” those that come ‘flying like a cloud of doves’ (Isaiah 60:5, 6, 8).
(12) Strangers that shepherd Israel’s flocks, foreigners that are its farmers and vinedressers (Isaiah 61:5).
(13) Those marked in forehead by man with secretary’s inkhorn (Ezekiel 9).
(14) Persons who call on the name of Jehovah and get away safe on his fear-inspiring day (Joel 2:32).
(15) Desirable things of all nations (Haggai 2:7).
(16) Nations that become “joined to Jehovah” (Zechariah 2:11).
(17) ‘Ten men who take hold of skirt of a Jew’ (Zechariah 8:23).
(18) Nations to whom King speaks peace (Zechariah 9:10).
(19) “Sheep” who do good to King’s brothers (Matthew 25:31-46).
(20) Repentant prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32).
(21) “Other sheep” who listen to the Fine Shepherd’s voice (John 10:16).
(22) Persons who exercise faith in Christ and “never die at all” (John 11:26).
(23) Creation that will be freed from enslavement to corruption and have glorious freedom of children of God (Romans 8:20, 21).
(24) Those of the world who gain everlasting life because they exercise faith in God’s Son (1 John 2:2; John 3:16, 36).
(25) “Great crowd” that serve day and night in Jehovah’s temple (Revelation 7:9-17).
(26) Anyone drinking life’s water and himself saying to others, “Come!” (Revelation 22:17).


In the Bible we find  people mentioned who as individuals showed their love for God and got them as persons separated from the nations that are gathered before Jesus his throne. They look forward to being blessed by the Kingdom of Jesus Christ and his spiritual “brothers.” So what they inherit is the earthly realm of the Kingdom, where Paradise is to be restored all around the globe. 

When Jehovah God made our earth he purposed for it to become a paradise everywhere, and he put man and woman on earth to make it that way, starting with the garden of Eden, or Paradise of Pleasure. The fall of Adam and Eve into sin and death did not deal out a defeat to God’s purpose. (Isaiah 55:11) He at once made preparation for bringing about the earth-wide Paradise by means of a heavenly Kingdom, in which his loyal Son would be the Ruler, or King. It had to be a celestial government if it is yet to crush out of existence the originator of sin and deception, Satan the Devil, a mighty spirit creature.​—Genesis 3:15.

Today we may still find people who want to be part of those close followers of Christ Jesus. They feel called by Jehovah God to unite as brothers and sisters in Christ and as such want to take up the profession of preaching the Gospel and being part of the realm of profession, the Church of Christ.

As “sons of the Realm” they want to be the children of God within that realm of profession, the Church of real followers of Christ, who want to be like a mustard seed becoming a big fruitful tree. though the real followers may be with not many, coming closer to the end times they shall find each other spread all over the world, willing to join hands and to unite under Christ.

Today Christendom, although having taken Christ’s title, is not expressing loyal love to God and his Kingdom Heir nor to Jesus Christ whom they have made into their god. Instead of remaining neutral, it has taken sides in the East-West struggle for world domination, sharing in this world’s materialism and militarism it also has taken opposition against other religions, not allowing other cultures and religions to around them, with the believe that it is God Who allows things to be. It will therefore perish with this old world at Armageddon. In that great war it are those who love God and His son who should share the brotherly love with others and show how there is a need to unite under Christ.

Unto the real of profession belong those who have Christian fruitage: sharing (Romans 15:27, 28; Philippians 1:22); holiness (Romans 6:21); goodness, righteousness, truth (Ephesians 5:9); good work ad knowledge (Colossians 1:10); praise and charity (Hebrews 13:15).

All those  things that build up character and make some one special should be mastered or professionalised by the one who wants to call himself Christian.

The test is on. To go counter to the whole world is not easy. To do so with success we must lean heavily on Jehovah’s loyal love. For our assurance He has caused to be recorded twenty-six times in Psalm 136 alone that “his loyal love is to time indefinite.” (Margin) But we must do our part, for as we read elsewhere: “All the paths of Jehovah are loyal love and truthfulness for those observing his covenant and his reminders.”—Ps. 25:10,

Friday 25 September 2015

Wanting to know more about basic teachings of Christadelphianism

Those who would like to know more about what the founder of the Christadelphians wrote, can find several parts of his writings and some other authors from the early days of the brotherhood in the new look at "Messiah for all".


At the new website concerning the messiah, Jesus Christ from Nazareth, whose real name was Jeshua, an effort is made to place the master rabbi and his teachings in a clear biblical light. To come to know Jesus better it is important to go back to the early times of mankind. Therefore the site starts by the total beginning of mankind and looks at the evolution of man. Eden was the original place that God created where He would meet with man and later we shall see this place recreated in Ezekiel’s vision and how the choices of those first people triggered the need of a provision made by God, which came to fulfilment with the life of the Nazarene born in Bethlehem.
Adam was placed in the Garden of Eden with the task “to dress it and to keep it” (Genesis 2:15). Ezekiel’s vision of a temple was given with a similar command to “keep the whole form thereof, and all the ordinances thereof’’ (Ezekiel 43:11). Adam failed to keep the Garden of Eden and its ordinances and was cast out. Israel had likewise failed to keep the first temple and its ordinances and had been exiled.

After placing the first man in the spotlight the site "Messiah for all" will continue to look at the position of man and what human thinking introduced by the years of different approaches to the Word of God and to the religious attitude.

To do this it uses also writings from brothers of the begin years of the Brotherhood of the Christadelphians. One of the major works is the exposition of the Kingdom of God with reference to the time of the end and the age to come as presented by John Thomas, writer of a.o. Apostolic Advocate 5 volumes, 1834-38), Herald of the Future Age (4 volumes, 1845-48) and Herald of the Kingdom and Age to Come (11 volumes, 1851-61). Like Christendom Astray, the book Elpis Israel also emerged as a result of a series of lectures (given in 1848) dealing with the Hope of Israel. It sets out in systematic form Bible teaching about sin, death and reconciliation, and the purpose of God to fill the earth with His glory as the waters cover the sea.

You may find the book Elpis Israel in the Christadelphian bookstore.

Fragments from Elpis Israel and added Bible quotes, starting from the article:

Necessity of a revelation of creation 1 Works of God and works of man



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Find additionally to read:

  1. To whom do we want to be enslaved
  2. Not words of any organisation should bind you, but the Word of God
  3. Priority to form a loving brotherhood
  4. Two new encyclopaedic articles
  5. What are Brothers in Christ
  6. Who are the Christadelphians
  7. Christadelphians or Messianic Christians or Messianic Jews
  8. February 2015 got new little lights shining on internet
  9. The Christadelphian magazine 150th anniversary
  10. Christadelphian people
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