See my last post for one small part of my definition, which, I could honestly take all day to write because Jesus is a lot of things in a lot of different contexts to a lot of different people.
But if I had to describe Jesus in my own words, I would say, 'Jesus is a man who lived on Earth 2000 years ago, alive and breathing in many of us today, who taught that he was the light of the world, and as so, came to enlighten the world. That's what lights do isn't it? Give light? Enlighten things?'
I would say that 'Jesus has the spirit of God, a team-spirit, a spirit of compassion for mankind. That he taught the way to rescue from the world and all its flaws and that this spirit, more than any word, is the way to do that. 2 Corinthians 3;4-6 'For such confidence we have journeying to God, on account of Christ. It is not from ourselves that we are confident, that we logic anything solely on account of ourselves, but we are fit (to be logical) because of God'.
I would say that his teachings are epitomized in the instructions he gave us. Matthew 22;36-40 'Adopt your master, your God in all your motive and in all your person and with all your intellect, this is the first great commandment. The second is equal to it; Love those around you as though they are you. All the teaching and the prophecy hang on these two instructions'.
I would say that Jesus taught us that this spirit of holiness is something that we can have if we take on board what he teaches. Like John 19;21-23 shows us 'Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As my Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” And when he had said this, he inspired them and said to them, “Lay hold of the Holy Spirit. If you let go of the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you take hold of them, they are withheld.”
I would say that Jesus' forgiveness is much greater than man's idea of it is; like the adulterous woman, the thief on the cross, or more broadly; on terms of God's longsuffering patience, his will for mankind to come to realization and Jesus' part in those wishes. 1 Timothy 2:4 'God whose will it is that all are rescued and to recognition of reality come'
I would describe Jesus as a man come partly to remove boxes and boundaries. Galatians 3:28 'There is neither Jew not gentile, slave nor free, nor male or female, for indeed, on account of Jesus Christ, every kind of you are one'
I would also say that Jesus' advocated selflessness, living for God and others, rather than to live for the sole purpose of 'getting to heaven' or 'avoiding hell', because these two motives are motives of 'law' rather than motives of spirituality. Matthew 16:24 'Then Jesus said to disciples of him, 'if anyone should desire after me to come, let them deny their self, and take up the cross thereof, and follow. Whoever indeed might desire their self to preserve, will lose it. However, on the other hand, whoever might give up their life for my cause, will discover it. Oh, what indeed will it benifit a person if they should acquire the whole world and lose their identity? What will a person give for their self?'
I would say that Jesus is a separate entity from God, as a son and his father are, or as Paul and Oppolos are in one of the coming verses, and yet I would also say that Jesus shares God's 'plan', and is a co-worker in God's goal. Luke 18:19 'Why do you call me great? None are great save for God alone.' 1st Corinthains 3;7-8 'So the one who plants, himself, gains nothing, and the one who waters, himself, gains nothing, but only by God, who makes (the plant) grow. The one who plants and the one who waters are one, yet each rewarded according to their acts. For we are co-workers in God's service, and God's field, God's building is this (world).' John 10:30 Jesus says 'I and the Father are one'. This reconciles the contradictions in Jesus statements of being lesser than God and yet being 'one' with him. They are of 'one' purpose.
That leads me to say that, I belief Jesus was one who wants 'mankind' to be of one purpose; adopting God in all thought and action, hence having utter compassion for one another (as per Matthew22:36-40)
As for my username, it is a Pali word, and means 'loving-kindness', derived from the Sankrit word for friend. And I have chosen it for several reasons. One is that the Pali language is beautiful. Two is that, kindness and friendship are staple teachings of Jesus, God, and of many other wise people. And three is that, I am a person who can accept that others have different religious beliefs or follow a different particular book, particularly when ones focus is such a strong one towards compassion for all human beings. And lastly, I found the story of Maitreya to be really fascinating, and it struck up some parallels with things I have read in the bible; that the world will lose itself and there will be a loss of focus on the godly way of life.
And four, it's just a name, really. It doesn't denote my whole belief system, my character or my views, it's simply something I took a small liking to.
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