I was arguing with a non Christian and pointed out that God is greater than Jesus so it kind of like a Big God, small god thing. Anyway from me to clarify things to him.
I was arguing with a non Christian and pointed out that God is greater than Jesus so it kind of like a Big God, small god thing. Anyway from me to clarify things to him.
But God is greater that Jesus?There is no "big god/little god". There is only God. God exists in the form of a Trinity. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Each cosubstantial and equal.
As Philo of Alexandria put it, God exists as a divine Triad. To the uninitiated mind He appears as Three. To the initiated mind He appears as One.
“Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.” John 14:28 (KJV 1900)I was arguing with a non Christian and pointed out that God is greater than Jesus so it kind of like a Big God, small god thing. Anyway from me to clarify things to him.
Jesus is God, God is Jesus, Jesus is the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit is Jesus, The Holy Spirit is God the Father, God the Father is the Holy Spirit. They are three persons, one God. Not three offices, not 3 departments, they are 3 persons within the exact same God. To have three divine people up there would be polygamy. But God is not greater than Jesus, but Jesus is in submission to the father. And the Holy Spirit testifies of Christ, so the pecking order is God-Jesus-the Holy Spirit. But they are equal.But God is greater that Jesus?
God is not greater than the father in essence, only in incarnation.“Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.” John 14:28 (KJV 1900)
“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.” Philippians 2:5–8 (KJV 1900)
My position is that Jesus did not stop being God, but made himself of no reputation as God, while making himself of great reputation as man. And so people naturally see the manhood of Jesus in scripture before they see his divinity. The manhood needs no special revelation, but his Messiahship does. As in the case of Peter to whom God revealed Christ's divinity (Messiahship).
“And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.” John 17:5 (KJV 1900)
Going to his Father who is greater means Jesus returns to his former greatness.
Jesus is a man like you and me except that in him the fullness of God's being dwells. This doesn't mean that God ceased to exist outside Jesus bec God is omnipresent.I was arguing with a non Christian and pointed out that God is greater than Jesus so it kind of like a Big God, small god thing. Anyway from me to clarify things to him.
So when Jesus became man some glory was taken from and how that He's with God He has his glory back.
Thank you all for your comments.
Philippians 2 said:Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but 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. 9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Thanks for posting here in "Traditional Theology". In the early history of the Church, similar questions often arose regarding not only the nature of Christs Divinity and humanity, but of the nature of the Triune God. The Church searched Scripture and compiled a statement of faith that is still held by traditional Churches; particularly in Western Christianity. As a Confessional Lutheran, the Athanasian Creed, allong with the two other "Ecumenical Creeds"; Apostles and Nicene are retained in our confessions of faith, and are held second only to the Bible in authority; in that they are an exposition of doctrines revealed to us in Scripture.I was arguing with a non Christian and pointed out that God is greater than Jesus so it kind of like a Big God, small god thing. Anyway from me to clarify things to him.
That's not how classical theology puts it. The traditional way to handle the relationship between God and Jesus is the Incarnation. It says that God became present with us in human form. Humanity is less than God. But this particular human is God's own presence. Viewed as a human he is less than God. But viewed as God's presence he is God. And both are true at the same time.So when Jesus became man some glory was taken from and how that He's with God He has his glory back.
Thank you all for your comments.
I was arguing with a non Christian and pointed out that God is greater than Jesus so it kind of like a Big God, small god thing. Anyway from me to clarify things to him.
NoJesus is the Holy Spirit,
No, No, Nothe Holy Spirit is Jesus, The Holy Spirit is God the Father, God the Father is the Holy Spirit
The trinitarian position is "One God" Deut 6:4 in "three persons" Matthew 28:19. There is a hierarchy among the three but ontologically they are equal as all are infinite in power and knowledge and love etc.I was arguing with a non Christian and pointed out that God is greater than Jesus so it kind of like a Big God, small god thing. Anyway from me to clarify things to him.
Actually, there is no "hierarchy"; the Athanasian Creed defines the three Persons as Co-Equal:The trinitarian position is "One God" Deut 6:4 in "three persons" Matthew 28:19. There is a hierarchy among the three but ontologically they are equal as all are infinite in power and knowledge and love etc.
Actually, there is not "hierarchy"; the Athanasian Creed defines the three Persons as Co-Equal: