Thinking about Him (2)
COULD HE REALLY BE GOD?
"Hear O Israel, The Lord our God, The Lord is One..." As a Jew, from young, you have been reciting the Shema twice a day, once in the morning and once at night. All along, you have been taught to believe that there is only one true God, the One who created the Universe, the One who chose your race to be his people, and the One who brought your ancestors out of Egypt into the Promised Land.
Recently, from the mouth of your friends, you came to hear about this man named Jesus who has been going around preaching the message of the Kingdom of God, performing miracles of healing and deliverance and attracting many to follow him wherever he went. Yet, what really caught your attention was the bold claims that he made. On one acocunt, he said to the listeners that he and the Father (God) are one. On another account, he claimed that those who have seen him has seen the Father (God).
These claims sound so ridiculous! Firstly, how is it possible for an ordinary man to be of equal status as your God? Secondly, if Jesus' Father is God, and Jesus is also God, it means that "the Lord are two". This is totally contradictory to the Shema. It is simply impossible for you to believe in this man who claims that he is God!
After some time, news came to you that this man has died. Yet, there was also news that he was seen with his friends after his death. You struggle. How can an ordinary man be alive again after his death? Could he really be God?
"Hear O Israel, The Lord our God, The Lord is One..." As a Jew, from young, you have been reciting the Shema twice a day, once in the morning and once at night. All along, you have been taught to believe that there is only one true God, the One who created the Universe, the One who chose your race to be his people, and the One who brought your ancestors out of Egypt into the Promised Land.
Recently, from the mouth of your friends, you came to hear about this man named Jesus who has been going around preaching the message of the Kingdom of God, performing miracles of healing and deliverance and attracting many to follow him wherever he went. Yet, what really caught your attention was the bold claims that he made. On one acocunt, he said to the listeners that he and the Father (God) are one. On another account, he claimed that those who have seen him has seen the Father (God).These claims sound so ridiculous! Firstly, how is it possible for an ordinary man to be of equal status as your God? Secondly, if Jesus' Father is God, and Jesus is also God, it means that "the Lord are two". This is totally contradictory to the Shema. It is simply impossible for you to believe in this man who claims that he is God!
After some time, news came to you that this man has died. Yet, there was also news that he was seen with his friends after his death. You struggle. How can an ordinary man be alive again after his death? Could he really be God?
Labels: Theology
posted by Dan at 7/19/2006 01:41:00 am
1 Comments:
Well written. These could be questions that a Jew may have about our Lord Jesus Christ. But it is not imposible for a Jew to accept Christ. Remember the early Christians were Jews. Paul was a Jew and surely was taught of the Shema since he was small. But he became a zealous Christian. I guess faith is more than understanding the mysteries of God. It is about relationship and experience. If anyone fail to understand that and try to rationalize everything with his limited wisdom he may be heading the wrong direction.
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