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Xenonlion
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Username: Xenonlion

Post Number: 22
Registered: 11-2014
Posted on Monday, November 17, 2014 - 2:41 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Was Jesus omnipotent, omnipresent, and/or omniscient?
Asurprise
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Username: Asurprise

Post Number: 3478
Registered: 7-2007
Posted on Monday, November 17, 2014 - 3:36 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

He's God, so the answer would be yes! :-) (Ellen White said otherwise.)

In Isaiah 48:12-16 Jesus is talking. In verse 13, He says: "My hand laid the foundation of the earth, and My right hand spread out the heavens."
In verse 16, He says: "And now the Lord God has sent Me, and His Spirit," which makes it clear that Jesus is the One talking.
Xenonlion
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Username: Xenonlion

Post Number: 23
Registered: 11-2014
Posted on Monday, November 17, 2014 - 3:47 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Also, I know that he said "Before Abraham, I Am." Something like that. I don't remember where it was. It just came to my mind earlier today.
Colleentinker
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Username: Colleentinker

Post Number: 14981
Registered: 12-2003


Posted on Monday, November 17, 2014 - 6:19 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

John 8:58. Yes; all of God's attributes are present in the Son as well as in the Father and in the Holy Spirit. He IS, not only WAS, all of those things.

We were taught that He sent the Holy Spirit because Jesus can't be everywhere at once. Wrong. He is God, who is Spirit—and He is omnipresent. In Him all things hold together—even when He was in the tomb—Col 1:17.
Leifl
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Username: Leifl

Post Number: 67
Registered: 3-2014


Posted on Tuesday, November 18, 2014 - 4:02 am:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I was a part of the historic SDA non-Trinitarian movement for a couple decades. The pastor of our local Adventist church has asked me to give a Bible study on the trinity (to which I was surprised) - there are still questions among some in the congregation on this issue. I'll be posting the (modified) notes on my blog after the study has been delivered. It's a fascinating subject, of which I was (unfortunately) unable to discern the truth for many years.
Leifl
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Username: Leifl

Post Number: 68
Registered: 3-2014


Posted on Tuesday, November 18, 2014 - 4:05 am:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

The Lord Jesus Christ is the only Son of God,
begotten from the Father before all ages,
God from God,
Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made;
of the same essence as the Father.
(Nicene Creed)
Leifl
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Username: Leifl

Post Number: 69
Registered: 3-2014


Posted on Tuesday, November 18, 2014 - 4:17 am:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

When Jesus said, "Before Abraham was, I AM" they took up stones to execute him. They knew what he was claiming.

In John 18:5 those arresting Christ fell backwards when he said "I AM".

In John 20:28 Thomas called Jesus God; yet we know that there was only room for one God in Israel. Jesus never denied being God: he blessed Thomas because he believed, and the faith of Thomas stood upon his confession that Jesus was truly divine.

(Message edited by LeifL on November 18, 2014)
Leifl
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Username: Leifl

Post Number: 70
Registered: 3-2014


Posted on Tuesday, November 18, 2014 - 4:20 am:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

In John 5, they sought to kill Jesus, because he called God his Father, making himself equal with God. Jesus did not deny his essential equality with the Father, but went on to say these words:

"Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner." John 5:19

The Son operates in lockstep with the Father; they are thoroughly one in thought and action. If the Father creates a world, the Son creates a world. If the the Father works to redeem fallen man, the Son is also working to redeem fallen man. The Jewish people understood who he was and who he claimed to be: and darkened by by sin, he was alien to them. (Think of sci-Fi movies: what is mankind’s first response to unknown life forms?) Through fear and they sought to destroy their Creator and God.
Xenonlion
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Username: Xenonlion

Post Number: 24
Registered: 11-2014
Posted on Tuesday, November 18, 2014 - 3:28 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

While on Earth, could Jesus tell what someone was thinking directly? I was thinking so because He's God, but in Bible class I was told no and that he gave that up when he came to Earth.
Mjcmcook
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Username: Mjcmcook

Post Number: 1620
Registered: 2-2011


Posted on Tuesday, November 18, 2014 - 4:42 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Xenonlion~

Yes~ JESUS ~ GOD in flesh ~ could most assuredly know a person's thoughts!

There are numerous examples of this throughout the New Testament.

One example is found in the third chapter of John. I suggest you read.

Also, two more, 1Corinthians 3:20 and Hebrews 4:12. there are many more.

Remember~ adventists do not accept the Biblical Truth that JESUS was GOD in flesh,
when living on earth, leaving them with an incorrect premise to begin with.

~mj~
Colleentinker
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Username: Colleentinker

Post Number: 14984
Registered: 12-2003


Posted on Thursday, November 20, 2014 - 1:48 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

MJ is right, Xenonlion. On all counts. John 2:24-25: "But Jesus, on His part was not entrusting Himself to them, for He knew all men, and becauseHe did no need anyone to testify concerning man, for He Himself knew what was in man."

And this:

quote:

But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts? For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he then said to the paralytic—“Rise, pick up your bed and go home.”

(Matthew 9:4-6 ESV)




Another thing Adventists simply don't teach is Colossians 1:19. Here it is in context:

quote:

And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.
(Colossians 1:17-20 ESV)




Jesus was ALWAYS fully God and had in Himself every attribute of deity. He gave up no shred of His divinity while living in mortal flesh. There is no way we can understand this amazing reality.

He humbled Himself for the purpose of reconciling us with the Trinity—with Himself.
Xenonlion
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Username: Xenonlion

Post Number: 25
Registered: 11-2014
Posted on Thursday, November 20, 2014 - 2:13 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

In class we were talking about Matthew 9. We were also talking about how Jesus knew their thoughts. I asked, "Wouldn't Jesus know what they're thinking because He's God?" Then I was told no and that He knew from how they acted and external things like that.

I do wonder about Luke 2:52 though. How did Jesus grow in wisdom?
Chris
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Username: Chris

Post Number: 1793
Registered: 7-2003


Posted on Friday, November 21, 2014 - 1:18 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Xeonlion,

I think the only way to understand the biblical data is in the way the Church historically has interpreted it. The historic, orthodox position is that the Son, who is fully God, added humanity to Himself. In so doing, He did not give up Divinity in any way, nor did he somehow become some hybrid mix that was some amalgamation of god and man (as in Greek mythology). Rather, He added a second nature to Himself so that he is fully God (divine nature) and fully man (human nature) at the same time in the same person.

So, there are some things that apply to Jesus' human nature, but not to His divine nature. For example, Jesus' divine nature cannot grow tired or hungry, but his human nature experienced both. This holds true for a multitude of other things as well.

It does appear that during His earthly ministry Jesus chose to limit the full prerogatives and privileges of His divine nature. He didn't lose any attribute of divinity, but merely chose not to make independent use of all aspects of His divinity. So while Jesus is all-knowing in his divine nature, he was able to grow in wisdom in his human nature (an apparent self limitation of His omniscience).

While I can't fully comprehend it, I think the only way to be able to understand what the Bible tells us about Jesus is through the doctrine of hypostasis, two natures, unmixed, yet inseparable in one person.
Islander
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Username: Islander

Post Number: 74
Registered: 4-2014
Posted on Friday, November 21, 2014 - 4:52 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Growing up SDA I taught Jesus was fully, 100% human while on this earth. He got his divinity, His Godness at His resurrection. I would ask ask the grownups when I was kid how come if Jesus was no different than them or me then how come the men and the shepherds bowed down and worshiped the newborn king, no one worshipped me when I was born.
Colleentinker
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Username: Colleentinker

Post Number: 14987
Registered: 12-2003


Posted on Monday, November 24, 2014 - 12:12 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Thank you, Chris.
Colleen

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