Jesus asked, Who Do You Say that I Am?

                      Jesus asked, Who Do You Say that I Am?

#Jesus  #Questions  #Prophecy

From his day to ours, people have called Jesus various things: prophet, teacher, good man, lunatic, deceiver, legend, Son of God, Lord. According to our assumptions, knowledge, belief system, we think different things. Who would you say Jesus is? The answers to these four questions below may help you decide.

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Can Centuries Earlier (700-400 B.C.) Biblical Predictions apply to Anyone but Jesus? He was born of a virgin, Isa. 7:14; Matt. 1:18, 21. In Bethlehem of Judea, Mic. 5:2; Matt. 2:1. Forerunner announced, Mal. 3:1; Luck. 1:17. God's Son, Psalm 2:7; Heb. 1:5-6. Work miracles, Isa. 35:5-6; Matt. 11:4-6. Betrayed by a friend, Psalm 41:9; John 13:18-21. Disciples forsake him, Zech. 13; Matt.26:56. Sold for 30 pieces of silver, Zech. 11:12; Matt. 26:15. Nailed to a cross, Psalm 22:16, John. 19:18, 20:25. Given gall & vinegar to drink, Psalm 69:21, Matt. 27:34. Suffered for peoples sins, Isa. 53:4-6, Matt.20:28. Garments parted & lots cast for his vesturee34:20;  John. 19:33, 36. Pierced, Zech. 12:10, Jn. 19:34, 37. Buried with the rich, Isa. 53:9, Matt. 27:57-60. Raised from the dead, Ps. 16:10, Lk. 24:6, 31-34.
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These 17 predictions are such detailed events impossible to guess, artificially fulfill, or be accidental, and Jesus is the only known person in history to whom they could apply. Nothing like this is known in other world religion founders. Nothing like this can be said of Buddha, Muhammad, Zoroaster, Mahavira, Nanak, Confucius, or any other. This is God knowing the future and acting in our world. Its denial seems to require a closed and bias mind and a dogmatic claim to have all or absolute knowledge no such God exist..
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Can Anyone Make Such Claims together with Such Actions Other than God? Conservative systematic theology texts list several pages with references showing who Jesus is. I can briefly mention only a few things the Bible says about him. Jesus is called by names of deity--God, Son of God, Lord, and the Word. He claimed to have the attributes of God--all knowledge, power, be everywhere, be unchangeable, and eternal. He claimed to be from Heaven, be one with the Father, be the Creator and Upholder of the universe. He showed power over demons, disease, death, and nature. He was without sin, forgave sins, raised the dead, accepted worship, died for sinners, commanded angels and demons, and would judge men at the last day. All this could only be true of God. He asked people to believe in him and recognize his miracles as proofs of his claims.
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The Jews recognized his claims to deity and called them blasphemy. His disciples knowing nature's natural patterns where constantly astonished and rebuked for not believing his miracles and who he was, until after his resurrection. Such things are said of no other persons in history. His followers endured torture and death to testify to its truth. What we believe about who Jesus is may be the crucial belief of our life! 

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Can We Trust the New Testament Statements about Jesus to be True? Only if we assume there's no personal ethical God and refuse to view the evidence  can we say N.T. documents are incredible, unhistorical, or lies. Five hundred people saw the resurrected Jesus, many who were still alive, plus the 12 disciples, plus skeptics Paul and James (1 Cor. 15:1-8) which is the confirming proof Jesus is Lord and all he taught is true. Scholars say Paul received this from very early sources along with other hymns and creeds possibly even before A.D. 40. Jesus died A.D. 33. Non Christian, even hostile sources, mention Jesus and many of the events of his life. His name is mentioned more than Tiberius Caesar who lived  at the same time. Gospels mention embarrassing things about him as he was born of fornication and didn't know the time of his return. It's far more reasonable to believe a multitude of eyewitnesses who risked persecution, torture, death, and eternal damnation who gave up the beliefs of their people for 2,000 years, than believer a skeptic far removed from the scene. See The Historical Jesus, by Gary Habermas. Also, my article, Modern Opinions about Jesus Christ.

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What Benefits Did Jesus Bring Humanity? No one but the God-man can give people abundant and eternal life, dignity, equality, real moral standards and moral victory, freedom, justice, love, absolute truth, a rational world, experimental science. No God, a limited god, evolving god, tribal god, speculative god/s can't provide such benefits and hope. No one and nothing can stand beside the Lord Jesus Christ. Few people realize the darkness, sufferings, and despair that would engulf us if Jesus had not come. See What If Jesus Had Never Been Born? by D. James Kennedy and Jerry Newcombe. What Has Christianity Ever Done For Us? by Jonathan Hill. The Victory of Reason: How Christianity Led to Freedom, Capitalism, and Western Success, by Rodney Stark. 

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This is why Christians have shown such great compassion to humanity and making a better world. Jesus said, "I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me . . . Inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me. (Matt. 25: 35-36, 40).  
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Christians have set the example to support orphans, widows, the sick, prisoners, the disabled and others. They built countless schools, hospitals, rehabilitation centers.They promoted child labor laws, Christian relief organizations such as YMCA, The Salvation Army, Food for the Hungry, World Vision, Medical Teams International, Samaritan's Purse, and others. They have fought against killing babies, abandoning children, female abuse, sexual slavery. They have fought for political reforms, just laws, and human freedoms, and rights. Christians are usually the first to relieve human suffering wherever found. They are not perfect, but they sure enter the fight to relieve suffering and build a better world. Jesus give us the reason to do so.
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Who Do You Say Jesus Is? The evidence above points to his being the Son of God who walked among us to save us both in this life and one to follow. What other people think or say won't count when we stand before Jesus at the Judgment. Forsaking sin and trusting Jesus will give purity and purpose to life and the assurance of one day living with him in his beautiful world. Will you say what millions of others say? Jesus is Lord and from now on,  Jesus is my Lord.

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We can do a thousand things important to us, but only the things we do out of love and obedience to Jesus will have eternal value--like telling others Jesus died to save us from sin and be our Lord and Guide. Be a true follower of Jesus who said, "follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men" Matthew 4:19.
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Ten Reasons Some Persons Deny the Biblical God

                                Ten Reasons Some Persons Deny the Biblical God

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#Reasons  #Answers 
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Could persons giving these reasons be assuming things that aren't true, are foolish, or not clearly thought out? And why is it the Bible's God seems most objectionable rather than some other ideas about God? Let's try to be as honest, objective, open minded and fair about this as we would want someone to be with us. Maybe there's something we overlooked or never thought about. It's possible anybody can make an honest mistake--even me.

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I can't believe in a God I can't detect with my five senses. What kind of evidence do you require to believe in God? Must God be a giant man who appears to you in the sky? Must he be handsome, smell good, and be soft spoken? Or do you expect to discover God under a microscope, through a telescope, or by an experiment? Are you demanding God make himself known to you on your terms? Don't we all believe in many unknown or unheard of things that others told us about? The biblical God Christians believe in upholds the universe and is a Spirit everywhere. But He's God, not us! So we must come to Him on his terms.  He has made us in His image for loving trusting relationship. Jeremiah 29:11, 13 defines the way to that relationship: "I know the thoughts I think toward you says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. . . . You will seek Me and find Me when you search for me with all your heart."  

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If God in some way indwells Christians why are they such hypocrites? This question involves issues far more complex than persons generally realize. Just because someone goes to church, reads a Bible, or holds a church office doesn't always mean he or she trusts in the Savior. I know of two pastors who preached the gospel, but trusted Christ sometime later. Christians have their struggles with the world, flesh, and devil like everyone else, maybe more so. New Christians don't know, believe, or act as well as mature Christians. Persons from dysfunctional families may have more problems to overcome after conversion.  Also, persons can have good habits and morals but not be a Christian. Besides there are varying degree of commitment just as in all religions. Victory in Jesus comes when we set our minds continually on positive things of God, not negative things of the world (Colossians 3:1-2; Plilippians. 3:18-21).
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So we can make faulty judgments. Jesus warned of persons who said they did incredibly good works but he didn't know him (Matt. 7:21-23). Persons too can charge Christians of being hypocrites to try to relieve their own guilt feelings and hypocrisy. In truth, apart from the Christian God there is no absolute standard of judgment. Non Christians have to borrow from biblical Christian ethics to say an act is really wrong. Without God--the personal ethical God of the Bible who holds us accountable--anything is permitted. Moral standards require a personal Moral Lawgiver and Jesus is the proof He exists in His claims to be God together with His miracles and fulfilled prophecies.

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Very learned professors and persons I respect say there's no such God. Intelligent learned persons with advanced degrees from prestigious universities can each claim the evidence proves exactly opposite conclusions. We have our biases, special interests, and may not want to know the truth regardless of the evidence. Persons of Jesus' day saw his miracles, heard his claims to be  God, even saw Lazarus who Jesus raised from the dead, and then plotted to have Jesus crucified. Secular historians admit many of the events in Jesus' life, but these really make no sense unless He also performed the miracles said of Him.
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The "New Atheists" make misleading claims and arguments saying God is not good and the Bible is a dangerous book. Check out these books. Is God Just a Human Invention, by Sean McDowell and Jonathan Morrow. Why People Don't Believe, by Paul Chamberlain. When God Goes To Starbucks, by Paul Copan.  See my article: Is Any  Religion Objectively True & Humanly Ennobling?
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God let the loved one I desperately needed die. Death is a certain reality we all must face and it can occur unexpected and at any time. We are all subject to accidents, diseases, and abuses that are very painful. In a sinful fallen world it's unavoidable. When God gives us the dignity of free will, it's subject to abuse, and often beyond our defense and control. The best thing we can do is trust the Lord, do good for others, and tell them of the Savior and Shepherd of our souls who will never leave us. One day we will have our just reward. In Christ's resurrection alone there is assurance of life beyond the grave and seeing our loved ones who are in Christ. 

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I pray fervently but don't see where God answers my prayers. There are conditions that must be met before God can answer our prayers. If we have sin in our life the Lord will not hear us. If we say give me this and give me that, then God I'll believe in You and serve You. That's not acknowledging Him as Lord. God knows if He gave us what we asked, that we would have no further use for Him or even say thank you. True prayer seeks the Lord's will above our own. God may answer our prayer with a yes, no, or later. We must trust in His infinite knowledge, wisdom, power, goodness and love. Memorize Psalm 37:4-5 and repeat it daily and frequently. "Delight yourself in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass."  

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I can't believe in a book full of contradictions can be true or right about God. Well, I can't believe some of the ridiculous things critics call contradictions. It's in part because persons today ignorant of the Bible can be told the Bible says things or means things it doesn't. Bible believers in past days would think modern claims and rantings strange. Where did Cain get a wife when Adam and Eve had only two sons and Cain killed Abel? Genesis 5:4 says Adam had sons and daughters, but wouldn't common sense tell us it had to be that way at the start. Let me recommend a good book that answers supposed contradictions: When Critics Ask, by Norman Geisler and Thomas Howe.  See my articles: Bible Errors or Critic's Errors? Doubts Can Have Good Honest Answers # 1, 2.

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I don't know much about the Bible, but I see no reasons to believe in its God. Christians in fields of science and philosophy give good reasons to believe in God, but it's the critics that get big press attention. Besides myself, there are a multitude of Christian apologists on the Internet giving good reasons for their faith. Indeed, one must have a godlike knowledge even to deny God. Atheists and critics honestly examining the biblical facts have felt compelled to become Christians. We can reject God for emotional  and social reasons. The Bible's God has a claim on our lives that other so-called gods do not. Remember, it's only the great I Am who gives us our breath and will judge us. 
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Antony Flew, the leading academic atheist for fifty years (deceased 2003), came to believe in God the Creator. The big bang convinced him a beginning universe was the effect of  an eternal Beginner or God. Flew, didn't become a Christian, but honestly and openly admitted that the facts pointed to theism. No one has shown the resurrection, the ultimate evidence of Christian faith and hope to be a lie, though many have tried. Also, see my articles: The Alternative If There's No God.  Christian Love or Atheist Power. Is Atheism Best For Us?

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Natures laws prevent any God acting in our world. The "New Atheists" in their best selling books are completely closed minded sighting David Hume's arguments there can be no miracle working God. If Hume's objections were true, it seems impossible we could have gone to the moon. Christian theologians have shown Hume's arguments invalid. See my articles:  Has God Made Himself Known to Us? Faith, Reason, & Revelation. Did Jesus Really Perform Miracles? Darwin's Missing Links, or Jesus' Miracles? 

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How can we believe in God when so many different things are claimed about him? Many conflicting views logically mean that all can't be right. There can't be many gods, just two gods, one God, no god, or the universe be god. If any one is correct, logically it cancels out all the others. Good faith is based upon logic and fact. Just what some esteemed persons say is not evidence. Anybody can claim God or his angel talked to me and I wrote down his words in a holy book. But mere claims don't prove anything.
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Unlike other religions which claim and speculate about a god off somewhere, or that might could explain things, the Bible records historical eyewitness evidences of God acting in our world supernaturally. Persons centuries later, who add to or contradict Bible teachings, are clearly false teachers. The Bible records a multitude of God's actions in the world and in human lives. Though still imperfect, Christian believers changed from destructive evil lives to loving service of God. They built hospitals, schools, rescue missions, retirement homes, helped in disaster relief, and in countless other ways persons today seem to ignore.
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I have rights which means I can make my own decisions without anyone, even God telling me what to do. I'm afraid this is the underlining basis for rejection of God. All our claimed objections are really a product of looking for excuses to reject God's will on our lives. Anyone really wanting answers to difficult questions can find them in books and in my articles. Respectfully and biblically, if we're not transformed by the Lord Jesus who gives us rights and our every breath, we're in slavery to sin, Satan, and the world's system of evil.
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As a Christian I have had many serious questions but always found answers in diligent honest search. My friend, what about you? Won't you say, Lord Jesus I trust You who gave Your life that I might have abundant life with You. I pray you will find sin's forgiveness, love, peace and joy in Christ others have found and share that good news with friends.

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