David Miller wrote: >> I have a hard time swallowing the idea that >> God the Father was ever mortal.
DAVEH: > Is it any harder to believe than to believe that > Jesus was mortal, and Jesus is God. > What's the difference in terms of difficulty of > believing such? The difference is that I have this concept that God is the originator of all things. He is above all. If the Father was mortal at some time in the distant past, then someone or somebody must be above him, or we live in a universe with a God who can be killed! That shatters my concept of an eternal God who can be trusted as the originator and father of all. DaveH wrote: > ... Jn 5:19... The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth > the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth > the Son likewise. > ....So, DavidM, if Jesus went through a mortal process as God, > would you suggest it impossible his Heavenly Father did likewise? I think you are twisting that passage way beyond its intended meaning. Surely Jesus did not mean that he saw his Father get crucified and so he also subjected himself to being crucified. Surely Jesus did not mean that he saw his father become a man of the flesh and so he became a man of the flesh. This is so foreign to me, I can hardly believe you would suggest it. David Miller wrote: >> How do you deal with James who testifies that >> God the Father cannot even be tempted with evil? DAVEH: > Wish you would give me a reference....you are > taxing my pea sized brain! Let's quote ch 1, vs 13..... Sorry... I'll try to remember to quote references... DaveH wrote: > Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted > of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither > tempteth he any man: > ...To me it is obvious that James' intent is to point out > that God is not going to succumb to temptation. I don't see it that way. He seems to refer to man being tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust and enticed. Our Father in heaven has no lust, so he is not tempted and neither does he tempt man. DaveH wrote: > We know that Satan DID in fact tempt God when he > presented Jesus with several options in an effort to lead > him astray at a weak time of his life. I assume you believe > Jesus was fully God at the time Satan tempted him? > If so, then James' above comment would have to mean > that God is stronger than evil, and not subject to its lure. > Do you agree with my assessment of this, DavidM? No, I see it differently. Jesus was tempted because he was a man. He was of human flesh. He had lust within his flesh, and therefore he was able to be enticed by the lust of his flesh. As man he could be tempted. As God, he could not be tempted. The Phil. 2 passage speaks of him emptying himself, and Heb. 2:9 says he was made a little lower than the angels. Although he was God in terms of his identity, he had laid aside some of that glory that he had, and because of that, he was able to be tempted. With our heavenly Father, this would not be so. Our heavenly Father cannot be tempted to sin. Peace be with you. David Miller. ---------- "Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer every man." (Colossians 4:6) http://www.InnGlory.org If you do not want to receive posts from this list, send an email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] and you will be unsubscribed. If you have a friend who wants to join, tell him to send an e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] and he will be subscribed.
