So you are still saying that Jesus was a created being? If God is His father (and it no where says that God implanted sperm into Mary, you are thinking in physical terms) then Jesus is of the same exact substance as the Father. Jesus was the only begotten in the sense of being given a human body and nature, not His divine soul. He was always with the Father from all eternity. Jesus, at the end of Matthew said to "baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
John 1:1-5 "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men."
How am I misreading these verses???!!!
Even the Jewish rulers knew who Jesus was claiming to be. John 5:18 "This is why the Jews were seeking all the more to kill Him, because not only was He breaking the sabbath, but He was calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God." Did the apostle John correct this misunderstsanding (as he could have easily done since he was writing in hindsight) of the Jews? The answer is a resounding NO!!!!
John 8:57-59 " So the Jews said to him. "You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?" Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM." So they picked up stones to throw at Him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple. The Jews knew He was claiming to be the great I AM (God) of Exodus. Again, John could have corected this "misunderstanding" of the Jews in his gospel account, but he didn't.
John 14:8-9 "Philip said to Him, "Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us." Jesus said to Him, "Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen Me has seen the Father. How can you say, "Show us the father?"
John 20:28 ""Thomas answered Him, My Lord and my God!" Did Jesus say to Thomas "don't say such things, Thomas." ??? Again, NO. Jesus accepted worship as is appropriate for God.
Matthew 1:23 "Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call His name Immanuel" (which means, God with us).
Colossians 2: 9-10 " For in Him (Jesus) the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have been filled in Him, who is the head of all rule and authority."
Isaiah 9:6 "For to us a child is born, to us a Son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder, and His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father,Prince of Peace."
I admit that the truth of a triune God is difficult for many to grasp. How can God be one God in three persons? One in substance, but three in persons? Not three Gods, but one God in three distinct persons? I can't explain it, but it is clearly taught in the scriptures.
Even at the beginning, in Genesis 1:28 :Then God said, "Let Us make man in our image, after Our likeness." Who are the "Us" and "Our"?
I could go on, but I think this is enough proof to show that Jesus is very God of very God. If you deny it, you do it at your own peril. If Jesus is not God, you have no savior. If that sounds blunt I'm sorry, but it's true. No created being could take away sins.
Mark 2:5-7 "...He said to the paralytic, Son, your sins are forgiven." Now some of the scribes were sitting there , questioning in their hearts, "Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?" The scribes were right to accuse Jesus of blasphemey IF HE WERE ONLY A CREATED BEING, A MERE MAN ALONE. But if He is God (and He is) then He is within His right to forgives us.
God bless you, shroom2, I hope and pray that you can see these things. The only reason I sound hard is because I don't want others to be led astray as to who Jesus truly is. When I hear falseness being spoken against or about God, I must speak up. No God, no Savior.
Tom