Not By Works

  • Christian Chat is a moderated online Christian community allowing Christians around the world to fellowship with each other in real time chat via webcam, voice, and text, with the Christian Chat app. You can also start or participate in a Bible-based discussion here in the Christian Chat Forums, where members can also share with each other their own videos, pictures, or favorite Christian music.

    If you are a Christian and need encouragement and fellowship, we're here for you! If you are not a Christian but interested in knowing more about Jesus our Lord, you're also welcome! Want to know what the Bible says, and how you can apply it to your life? Join us!

    To make new Christian friends now around the world, click here to join Christian Chat.

posthuman

Senior Member
Jul 31, 2013
37,849
13,562
113
The preservation of the State IS the healing of the people.
No.

Revelation 22:2
through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.

The tree of life is not 'preservation of the state'
 

wattie

Senior Member
Feb 24, 2009
3,238
1,132
113
New Zealand
If the suffering in Israel was found also in America, and you understood what Adonai has charged a number of us to accomplish - the responsibility of the use of His power that He Himself has bestowed, you would be closer to contextual application of all that I have shared - as though the leaders in America chose to receive from Adonai unto the preservation of the State.

The preservation of the State IS the healing of the people.

There is a very practical application for all that I share - from Adonai.

I go now (from this virtual place).

Perhaps the Lord will cause you to remember these things shared.

The Lord Jesus Christ of Nazareth, the only begotten Son of the true and living God, comes soon; may His peace and love BE with all.
Oh that we shouldeth bid thee farewell fervently!

And yet... but do we?

Thy words have shot with hidden arrows that would thou intendeth to hit the mark so swiftly...

But what that thy words should be so strong? Nay again and nay again.. that we should be made so fools.

Oh that a fine farewell we should show and such grace... it would be much much grand. Yet haveth we perceived the flaw in thine own view!

For thou doeth declareth the Lord Jesus to be a lesser being! Him that hath declareth Himself equal to the Most High Father!

And yet showeth we mercy now.. and bid thy good day.

May thee come to knoweth the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ that is not concealed from now to eternity. And so do this chorus bid farewell to thee.

And so doth here.. end.. mine own Elizabethean treatise!

(guffaw expected) :)
 

Everlasting-Grace

Well-known member
Dec 18, 2021
5,956
1,880
113
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
The same was in the beginning with God.
All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

If God taketh the form of any thing, has He then become that thing?
God can't Die
God can't be tempted to sin
God does not need to eat to live
God does not suffer pain. and can not be hurt

Phil 2: 5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it [b]robbery to be equal with God, 7 but [c]made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross
 

HeIsHere

Well-known member
May 21, 2022
5,964
2,302
113
Oh that we shouldeth bid thee farewell fervently!

And yet... but do we?

Thy words have shot with hidden arrows that would thou intendeth to hit the mark so swiftly...

But what that thy words should be so strong? Nay again and nay again.. that we should be made so fools.

Oh that a fine farewell we should show and such grace... it would be much much grand. Yet haveth we perceived the flaw in thine own view!

For thou doeth declareth the Lord Jesus to be a lesser being! Him that hath declareth Himself equal to the Most High Father!

And yet showeth we mercy now.. and bid thy good day.

May thee come to knoweth the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ that is not concealed from now to eternity. And so do this chorus bid farewell to thee.

And so doth here.. end.. mine own Elizabethean treatise!

(guffaw expected) :)

Well done!!
 

Needevidence

Active member
Mar 15, 2023
261
59
28
God can't Die
God can't be tempted to sin
God does not need to eat to live
God does not suffer pain. and can not be hurt

Phil 2: 5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it [b]robbery to be equal with God, 7 but [c]made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross

I presume you are not talking about the 'human' God ie Jesus who suffered, was tempted and died - how do we understand;

Num 23:19: God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?

1 Samuel 15:29: And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent: for he is not a man, that he should repent.

Malachi 3:6: For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.

Job 25:4 How then can man be righteous before God? Or how can he be pure who is born of a woman?
 

wattie

Senior Member
Feb 24, 2009
3,238
1,132
113
New Zealand
I presume you are not talking about the 'human' God ie Jesus who suffered, was tempted and died - how do we understand;

Num 23:19: God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?

1 Samuel 15:29: And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent: for he is not a man, that he should repent.

Malachi 3:6: For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.

Job 25:4 How then can man be righteous before God? Or how can he be pure who is born of a woman?
You gotta look at the context of Numbers 23:19..

It isn't about the fact of God not being a man .. but the nature of God that He is perfect.. beyond humans. Beyond man.

It isn't saying that God can't become a man. That's not the subject of the verse. Context context context..


If this isn't enough.. how about the fact that God revealed Himself to people before the NT in the form of someone in the likeness of man?

If He could do it in the OT before the NT.. what is wrong with Him revealing Himself through Jesus?

(Sigh)
 

Needevidence

Active member
Mar 15, 2023
261
59
28
You gotta look at the context of Numbers 23:19..

It isn't about the fact of God not being a man .. but the nature of God that He is perfect.. beyond humans. Beyond man.

It isn't saying that God can't become a man. That's not the subject of the verse. Context context context..


If this isn't enough.. how about the fact that God revealed Himself to people before the NT in the form of someone in the likeness of man?

If He could do it in the OT before the NT.. what is wrong with Him revealing Himself through Jesus?

(Sigh)

Not sure if 'context' helps you - anyway;
you say - 'God revealed Himself to people before the NT in the form of someone in the likeness of man?' - any passages to back this up?
 

wattie

Senior Member
Feb 24, 2009
3,238
1,132
113
New Zealand
Not sure if 'context' helps you - anyway;
you say - 'God revealed Himself to people before the NT in the form of someone in the likeness of man?' - any passages to back this up?
In answer to God not being a man passage:


From Gotquestions:

We must also consider what the Old Testament is really saying about God when it says He is not a human being. The point being made in Numbers 23:19, 1 Samuel 15:29, and Hosea 11:9 is that God does not lie. He is not fickle. His emotions do not change His eternal purposes. This is unlike fallen humanity, who cannot see the big picture, who often breaks promises, and whose feelings often cloud discernment. In other words, the statements that God is not a man are contrasting one aspect of God’s nature with a corresponding part of man’s. Saying, “God is not a man,” has nothing to do with whether or not God can ever exist in the flesh.
 

wattie

Senior Member
Feb 24, 2009
3,238
1,132
113
New Zealand

Bruce_Leiter

Active member
Feb 17, 2023
427
193
43
It does not get any plainer..........Our righteous works have ZERO to do with Salvation!

English Standard Version
he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit,

Berean Study Bible
He saved us, not by the righteous deeds we had done, but according to His mercy, through the washing of new birth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.

Berean Literal Bible
He saved us, not by works in righteousness that we did, but according to His mercy, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit,

New American Standard Bible
He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit,

King James Bible
Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
Very true, but the Lord enables us to do good works as a result of his salvation through Jesus (Ephesians 2:8-10).
 

Needevidence

Active member
Mar 15, 2023
261
59
28

wattie

Senior Member
Feb 24, 2009
3,238
1,132
113
New Zealand
None of that states that God took a human like form and definitely not that God was a human even with human restrictions for a moment.
That is true.. but that fact remains Jesus claimed equality with the Father and then did miracles that only God can do. Jesus also called Himself the 'I AM'.. which is saying when God spoke to Moses it was Jesus speaking.

With the Jewish concept of agency.. the agent bringing a message on behalf of another carries the same status. The messager has the same authority and the originator of the message.

When the Pharisees saw Jesus say He is 'I AM'.. they knew exactly what this meant and sort to stone Him for claiming equality with the Father.

Jesus also accepted worship.. not just like a servant to a king.. but from angels.

In Revelation.. this is Jesus' words to the churches.. yet it is also the Father's and the Holy Spirit's words. Equal.

Jesus was the Head of the disciples, but not one of them. If the disciples are figuratively representing the 12 tribes of Israel.. and Jesus is Head over them.. what does that say about Jesus?

I could go on..

God becoming man is clearly in scripture.

If this is not enough ..read Isaiah 55. That's prophecying Jesus a long long long time before He came in the flesh.. from the OT.

Peace
 

Needevidence

Active member
Mar 15, 2023
261
59
28
That is true.. but that fact remains Jesus claimed equality with the Father and then did miracles that only God can do. Jesus also called Himself the 'I AM'.. which is saying when God spoke to Moses it was Jesus speaking.

With the Jewish concept of agency.. the agent bringing a message on behalf of another carries the same status. The messager has the same authority and the originator of the message.

When the Pharisees saw Jesus say He is 'I AM'.. they knew exactly what this meant and sort to stone Him for claiming equality with the Father.

Jesus also accepted worship.. not just like a servant to a king.. but from angels.

In Revelation.. this is Jesus' words to the churches.. yet it is also the Father's and the Holy Spirit's words. Equal.

Jesus was the Head of the disciples, but not one of them. If the disciples are figuratively representing the 12 tribes of Israel.. and Jesus is Head over them.. what does that say about Jesus?

I could go on..

God becoming man is clearly in scripture.

If this is not enough ..read Isaiah 55. That's prophecying Jesus a long long long time before He came in the flesh.. from the OT.

Peace

Albeit I note what you are implying - We seem to have gone away from the point we were discussing God presenting in human form in the OT.

broad interpretation of Isiah 55.

Many in the bible done miracles
 

wattie

Senior Member
Feb 24, 2009
3,238
1,132
113
New Zealand
Albeit I note what you are implying - We seem to have gone away from the point we were discussing God presenting in human form in the OT.

broad interpretation of Isiah 55.

Many in the bible done miracles
Okay.. well sticking with the OT appearances.. looking at the article I referenced.. it shows God appearing in likeness of man in some of the cases. He was in physical form in some of the cases.. how would that not be in the likeness of man?
 

Needevidence

Active member
Mar 15, 2023
261
59
28
Okay.. well sticking with the OT appearances.. looking at the article I referenced.. it shows God appearing in likeness of man in some of the cases. He was in physical form in some of the cases.. how would that not be in the likeness of man?

Not quite the same, but note the point you are making.

you got me thinking - what miracle did Jesus do that no one else in the bible done?
 

Needevidence

Active member
Mar 15, 2023
261
59
28
Yes I was thinking in the general term of miracles.

There are some issues with this though.

Matt 9:1-8 - 8 But when the multitudes saw it, they marvelled, and glorified God, which had given such power unto men. [ implies they understood the power came form the father]

Hebrew 9:22 – without shedding blood there is no forgiveness [Jesus had not been on the cross yet]

John 20:23 - If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven. [disciples could forgive]

Matt 6:14 - 14For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. [father]
 

wattie

Senior Member
Feb 24, 2009
3,238
1,132
113
New Zealand
Yes I was thinking in the general term of miracles.

There are some issues with this though.

Matt 9:1-8 - 8 But when the multitudes saw it, they marvelled, and glorified God, which had given such power unto men. [ implies they understood the power came form the father]

Hebrew 9:22 – without shedding blood there is no forgiveness [Jesus had not been on the cross yet]

John 20:23 - If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven. [disciples could forgive]

Matt 6:14 - 14For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. [father]
The Jewish concept agency concept again comes in here.. Jesus had equal authority and power to the Father. 'The agent is as himself'

But forgiving sin is the primary thing. He forgives those who haven't directly offended Him. For eg.. if you had a quarrel with a friend and I came along and said 'your sins are forgiven' to your friend. What kind of cheek is that?

Only God can do that.. forgive sin in the third person.

But also .. doing miracles by 'the hand of the Father'.. the Father's authority.. the difference between Jesus doing that and His followers is that He claimed to be one with the Father. So when He did the miracles He was doing as God.. equal.