Is Jesus the Logos?

The Word of God

We know that God created all things through his Word.

John 1:1-3
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was with God in the beginning.  Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.

1 John 1:1-3
That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.

However, it is also written that God made all things through his son.

Hebrews 1:2
but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe.

Colossians 1:15-17
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities– all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.

1 Corinthians 8:6
yet there is for us only one God, the Father, who is the Creator of all things and for whom we live; and there is only one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things were created and through whom we live.

There seems to be a direct link with the Word and the Son in the above verses as both are said to be the agent by which God created all things. Or did God make all things through his Word as well as the Son? If there was a time when there was only God and his Word as we read in John 1:1-3, then know that Jesus is not only described in similar terms as that Word but that he is actually called the Word of God too.

Revelation 19:13
He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God.

It seems that with God making all things through his Word, through his Son, and even through Wisdom, this either means that these are all different agents, thus God invoked a number of things to create the Universe, or they are one and the same, i.e., the Word is Jesus Christ before he was called Jesus. Christ.

We are told that the Word became flesh and that is an obvious reference in a book devoted to Jesus Christ in a passage of scripture about the origins of Jesus Christ. So this either means that Jesus was newly created from the Word as some teach or that he is the Word but took on another form, that of flesh when he came to earth. The latter seems the more likely explanation given that God created all things through the Son and the Word and that Jesus Christ is even called the ‘Word of God’.

Even if there were no direct references for Jesus being the Word of God, there would still be a whole raft of other verses to contend with. These verses speak of Jesus existence before he came as a man (outside of mentioning the Word).

  • “Before Abraham, I am”, – John 8:58
  • “to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.” – Jude 1:25,
  • He is before all things, and in him all things hold together –  Colossians 1:17.
  • etc.

Finally, we are told to not trust in the flesh, so if Jesus is only flesh, then should we trust him? After all we are explicitly taught that we are cursed if we trust in man. When we trust Jesus, are we trusting in man or the Word of God?

Jeremiah 17:5
This is what the LORD says: “Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who draws strength from mere flesh and whose heart turns away from the LORD.

For more on this subject try this writing:
Did Jesus pre-exist before his birth on earth

Viewing 20 posts - 25,261 through 25,280 (of 25,957 total)
  • Author
    Posts
  • #945780
    Danny Dabbs
    Participant

    Hi Jodi,

    I agree that others can be called satan, because they are acting as adversaries.
    But there is definitely this wicked fallen angel, or more precisely, cherub.
    He is also called “the accuser of the brethren” (Revelation 12:10).
    That’s exactly what he did with Job.

    So for me this topic is settled.
    I’m not interested to discuss this any further.
    No offense!

    God bless

    #945781
    Danny Dabbs
    Participant

    @jodi

    Hi Jodi,

    I agree that others can be called satan, because they are acting as adversaries.
    But there is definitely this wicked fallen angel, or more precisely, cherub.
    He is also called “the accuser of the brethren” (Revelation 12:10).
    That’s exactly what he did with Job.

    So for me this topic is settled.
    I’m not interested to discuss this any further.
    No offense!

    God bless

    #945788
    Danny Dabbs
    Participant

    @jodi

    Hi Jodi,

    Sorry to post the same post the third time but there is a problem with this website. If I click on my last two posts to you then it will only show an older post.

    I agree that others can be called satan, because they are acting as adversaries.
    But there is definitely this wicked fallen angel, or more precisely, cherub.
    He is also called “the accuser of the brethren” (Revelation 12:10).
    That’s exactly what he did with Job.

    So for me this topic is settled.
    I’m not interested to discuss this any further.
    No offense!

    God bless

    #945789
    Danny Dabbs
    Participant

    @admin

    Hi Admin,

    There is a problem with your website.
    If I click on my latest posts, post-945780 and post-945781, then it will only show an older post. This always happens at the beginning of a new page.

    #945817
    Danny Dabbs
    Participant

    @ All

    Dear Friends,

    The lying freemasons are even in our christian circles.
    What are they doing?
    Well, 1 John 2:23 explains it very well:
    Whoever denies the Son, the same has not the Father.
    Of course, this works both ways:
    Whoever denies the Father, the same has not the Son.
    That’s what it’s all about.

    God bless

    #945818
    Jodi
    Participant

    Hi Danny,

    Well you certainly sound confident in your position but it’s unfortunate that you are saying you have no interest in defending it.

    The adversary in the book of Job was not a FALSE accuser which is what a devil/diablols is, a slanderer/false accuser. The adversary in the book of Job was 100% CORRECT of his assessment of the heart of Job and as said he obeyed God’s every command. The book of Job does not identify at all that the adversary was a wicked slanderer. ALSO Job attributed the cursing he received as coming directly from God so Job saw that the adversary was indeed of God.

    In Revelation 12 the accuser, spoken of in verse 10 is identified in verse 9 as a diabolos, so not just any kind of accuser, but specifically a false accuser.

    There is another devil/diabilos spoken of in Revelation,

    Revelation 2:10 Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.

    Who is the devil-diabolos -false accuser throwing brethren into prison and persecuting them unto death Danny?

    There is quite a list of wicked Roman emperors who persecuted Christians unto death, Nero, Vespasian, Domitian -extremely wicked and asked to be worshiped as a god and is who exiled John to the isle of Patmos where he then wrote Revelation. Then we have Trajan who expanded with his military the Roman empire more than any other ruler since Caesar Augustus. He loved bloody displays of horror in the gladiator games. Then there is Hadrian and Marcus Aurelius where Christian persecution increased. Maximinus the Thracian and Decius who in 250 started what has been called “The Decian Persecution”, all Christian worship was forbidden and Christians were forced to worship Roman gods or be killed.  Then we have Valerian and Diocletian who is said to be one of the all time worst persecutors who had major blood lust and took to killing Christians even throughout the far reaches of the empire. Persecution continued with Constantius (father of Constantine) and Galerius.

    These are all DEVILS Danny. Not only are humans referred to as the Devil but they are also referred to as dragons and beasts.  

    Jeremiah 51:34 Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon hath devoured me, he hath crushed me, he hath made me an empty vessel, he hath swallowed me up like a dragon, he hath filled his belly with my delicates, he hath cast me out.

    Ezekiel 29:3 Speak, and say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, Pharaoh king of Egypt, the great dragon that lieth in the midst of his rivers, which hath said, My river is mine own, and I have made it for myself.

    Revelation 12:3 And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.

    Revelation 13:1 The dragon stood on the shore of the sea. And I saw a beast coming out of the sea. It had ten horns and seven heads, with ten crowns on its horns, and on each head a blasphemous name.

    Revelation 17:3 So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.

    6 And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.

    9 And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth. 10 And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space. 11 And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition.12 “The ten horns you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but who for one hour will receive authority as kings along with the beast.

    18 And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.

    Daniel 7:23 Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.

    ALL representation is of the earth, kings and kingdoms, not some wicked rebel spirit beings. 

    Major error to take literally the metaphorical language within scripture.

    Judges 5:19 The kings came and fought, then fought the kings of Canaan in Taanach by the waters of Megiddo; they took no gain of money. 20 They fought from heaven; the stars in their courses fought against Sisera. 21 The river of Kishon swept them away, that ancient river, the river Kishon. O my soul, thou hast trodden down strength.

    Just like in the above passage where they are not literally fighting from heaven, the same is true in Revelation 12 and dragons and beasts are represented as humans with power. 

    There is not one scripture that speaks of fallen angels being likened to dragons, beasts, serpents etc (“fallen angel” isn’t even in the bible), but humans on the other hand are likened to such throughout scripture. What do humans have in common with these creatures Danny? They are all of a CARNAL MIND. 

     

    #945819
    Berean
    Participant

     


    @Jodi

    You

    There is not one scripture that speaks of fallen angels being likened to dragons, beasts, serpents etc (“fallen angel” isn’t even in the bible),….

     

    Me

    👇

    Isaiah 14:12
    How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!

    Rev.12

    And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,
    [8] And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.
    [9] And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan,

    👉which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him

    …..

    12] Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! 👉for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because👉 he knoweth that he hath but a short time👈

     

     

     

    #945820
    Jodi
    Participant

    Hi Berean,

    Isaiah 14:2 They will make captives of their captors and rule over their oppressors. 3 On the day the LORD gives you relief from your suffering and turmoil and from the harsh labor forced on you, 4 you will take up this taunt against <span style=”color: #ff0000;”>the king of Babylon</span>: How <span style=”color: #ff0000;”>the oppressor</span> has come to an end! How <span style=”color: #ff0000;”>his fury</span> has ended! 5 The LORD has broken the rod of <span style=”color: #ff0000;”>the wicked</span>, the scepter of the rulers, 6 which in anger struck down peoples with unceasing blows, and in fury subdued nations with relentless aggression. 7 All the lands are at rest and at peace; they break into singing. 8 Even the junipers and the cedars of Lebanon gloat over you and say, “Now that you have been laid low, no one comes to cut us down.” 9 The realm of the dead below is all astir to meet you at your coming; it rouses the spirits of the departed to greet you— all those who were leaders in the world; it makes them rise from their thrones— all those who were kings over the nations. 10 They will all respond, they will say to you, “You also have become weak, as we are; you have become like us.” 11 All your pomp has been brought down to the grave, along with the noise of your harps; maggots are spread out beneath you and worms cover you. 12 <span style=”color: #ff0000;”>How you have fallen from heaven, morning star, son of the dawn!</span> You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations! 13 You said in your heart, “<span style=”color: #ff0000;”>I will ascend to the heavens; I will raise my throne above the stars of God<span style=”color: #000000;”>; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of Mount Zaphon</span></span><span style=”color: #000000;”>. </span><span style=”color: #000000;”>14<span style=”color: #ff0000;”> I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High</span>.”</span>

    15 But you are brought down to the realm of the dead, to the depths of the pit. 16 Those who see you stare at you, they ponder your fate: “<span style=”color: #ff0000;”>Is this the man who shook the earth and made kingdoms tremble</span>, 17 <span style=”color: #ff0000;”>the man</span> who made the world a wilderness, who overthrew its cities and would not let his captives go home?” 18 All the kings of the nations lie in state, each in his own tomb. 19 But you are cast out of your tomb like a rejected branch; you are covered with the slain, with those pierced by the sword, those who descend to the stones of the pit. Like a corpse trampled underfoot, 20 you will not join them in burial, for you have destroyed your land and killed your people. Let the offspring of the wicked never be mentioned again.

    Berean, there is absolutely nothing in this passage that speaks to the existence of some evil spirit being. 

    <span style=”color: #ff0000;”>The passages is all about the king of Babylon</span>, he was an evil oppressor who was filled with arrogance and pride. He was a man saying he would ascend above the tops of the clouds and make himself like the Most High. <span style=”color: #ff0000;”>He was making himself into a false god</span>. He was a ruler with great power and God brought forth his fall.

    <span style=”color: #ff0000;”> God called this human king “morning star: which was also known as the planet Venus, which in mythology represented a number of FALSE gods</span>, so rather perfect for God to be referring to this king as a false god now isn’t it, as the king saw himself as a god. 

    Interesting enough, in ancient Canaanite religion Venus or morning star was the god Attar who tried to take over the throne of Ba’al but failed so he then descended to rule the underworld.

    But there is also said to be another Canaanite myth about a lesser god named “Helel” (Hebrew word in verse 14:12 translated morning star is Heylel). Helel tried to overthrow the high Canaanite god “El”. The myth said that Helel was determined to ascend higher than all other divinities but ultimately he had to fall to the pit. 

    <span style=”color: #ff0000;”>Berean, pause for a moment and take these facts in.</span>

    The king is declaring he will ascend higher than the stars of God and make himself like God.

    During the time of this king, as well as long time prior and afterward, the morning star/planet Venus represented FALSE gods across many religions, Babylon included. 

    <span style=”color: #ff0000;”>God calls the king a morning star AKA a FALSE god.</span>

    Another fact for you, <span style=”color: #ff0000;”>biblically, human kings are called DRAGONS and BEASTS and humans are said to go to war in heaven. </span>

    #945822
    Berean
    Participant

    @Jodi

    You

    Berean, there is absolutely nothing in this passage that speaks to the>The passages is all about the king of Babylon existence of some evil spirit being.

    Me

    Why do you set aside the passages which clearly state that Satan , the devil, is the fallen angels who have been deceiving the world from the beginning?

    Isaiah 14:12
    How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!

    👇
    John 8:44
    Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was👉 a murderer from the beginning, 👈and abode 👉not in the truth, because there is👉 no truth in him. 👈When he speakseth a lie, he speaketh of his own👈: for 👉he is a liar, and the 👉father of it.👈

    It was Satan who deceived Eve in the Garden of Eden…and no one else.
    He used a beautiful snake to camouflage himself in order to better lure Eve into his trap….

     

    #945823
    Jodi
    Participant

    Hi Berean,

    YOU: Why do you set aside the passages which clearly state that Satan , the devil, is the fallen angels who have been deceiving the world from the beginning?

    ME: “clearly state”?  Isaiah 14 does not contain the words “Satan” “devil” or “fallen angel”, though the king of Babylon could be called an adversary/saw-tawn for sure and probably a slanderer/diabolos too.

    encyclopedia of Britannica

    Lucifer, (Latin: Lightbearer) in classical mythology, the morning star (i.e., the planet Venus at dawn);

    Behind the Name

    Lucifer

    In Latin this name originally referred to the morning star, Venus

    The Latin word “Lucifer” does not belong in English translation, but if you render the word according to it’s original definition then it should not be a problem to read the biblical passage of Isaiah 14:12 accurately. Most translators did translate appropriately where I have given a number of the translations below.

    Shining morning star

    O Day Star, son of Dawn

    Daystar! Son of Dawn

    O star of the morning, son of the dawn

    O shining star, son of the morning

    O day-star, son of the morning

    O shining one, son of the morning

    Berean, what is CLEARLY STATED is God is calling the king of Babylon the star of the morning/Planet Venus which there were many false gods attributed to this morning star. The king of Babylon said in his heart that he would ASCEND to the heavens and raise his throne above the stars and God in turn calls him the morning star which was well attributed to false gods. God calling the king of Babylon the morning star, could not be a more perfect metaphor!

    Berean, asserting fallen angel into Isaiah 14 as double meaning is extraordinarily weak, it doesn’t add up at all within the text and it takes away from the perfect metaphor God used to describe the king.

    4 you will take up this taunt against the king of Babylon: How the oppressor has come to an end! How his fury has ended!
    5 The LORD has broken the rod of the wicked, the scepter of the rulers,
    6 which in anger struck down peoples with unceasing blows, and in fury subdued nations with relentless aggression.
    7 All the lands are at rest and at peace; they break into singing.
    8 Even the junipers and the cedars of Lebanon gloat over you and say, “Now that you have been laid low, no one comes to cut us down.”

    12 How you have fallen from heaven, morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations!
    13 You said in your heart, “I will ascend to the heavens; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of Mount Zaphon.

    So when scripture speaks of humans as trees and being cut down we understand that this is metaphor, but when it’s a star falling from heaven it’s a metaphor for the king of Babylon but then partially a metaphor for a fallen angel, as the angel isn’t literally the planet Venus but he supposedly did literally fall from heaven.  Really Berean? I am also supposed to believe that this fallen angel had a throne and wanted to ascend it into heaven above the stars and also planned to sit enthroned on the heights of Mount Zaphon, JUST AS the king had also said in his heart? Wow, that’s pretty uncanny.

    15 But you are brought down to the realm of the dead, to the depths of the pit. 16 Those who see you stare at you, they ponder your fate: “Is this the man who shook the earth and made kingdoms tremble, 17 the man who made the world a wilderness, who overthrew its cities and would not let his captives go home?”18 All the kings of the nations lie in state, each in his own tomb. 19 But you are cast out of your tomb like a rejected branch; you are covered with the slain, with those pierced by the sword, those who descend to the stones of the pit. Like a corpse trampled underfoot,

    HIS FURY HAS ENDED“, his power, his rule even his life is dead, but yet that’s not true with the fallen angel who is being spoken of also supposedly in this chapter though right? Berean I would really like to see you try and make the text given in Isaiah 14 actually make any sense when applying a dual representation. 

    Please also enlighten me concerning the following,

    We are given that sin equals death and the Spirit is life because of righteousness where our hope is in God’s word that He will be all in all, our hope is to live in God’s abode, to dwell in His heavenly kingdom.

    God has faithful heavenly angels and Jesus says we will become like the angels, no longer able to die anymore. We know that we will no longer be able to die because the Spirit of God in us keeps us from sin and where there is no sin there is no death, only life eternal. This tells me that God’s angels are not able to die also because they are without sin, they are faithful followers because they entered God’s heavenly abode.

    Please explain Berean, do you believe a fallen angel was in heaven as in God’s abode, but then was cast out? 

    What does it say if you can enter into God’s heavenly abode but then still be able to fall? It’s a massive insult to God and His Spirit is what it is. What then about Christ, could he fall, could we enter and fall as well? Talk about a major blow to the gospel.

     

    #945824
    Jodi
    Participant

    Hi Berean,

    Thanks for engaging with me on this topic.

    I hope you will continue and I will post bringing up an old thread specifically on this topic.

    #945825
    Jodi
    Participant

    Hi Berean,

    Actually I am going to post on the fairly recent thread I started about the Enmity as this is exactly what I hoped to get into so we could identify the devil to which Christ destroyed through his death.

    #945826
    Danny Dabbs
    Participant

    @jodi

    Hi Jodi,

    You: The adversary in the book of Job was not a FALSE accuser…

    Me: He was. Job stayed faithful to God and didn’t curse Him, as Satan said he would.

    Anyway, I had to respond to your false statement.

    God bless

    #945827
    Berean
    Participant

    @ Jodi

    Please explain Berean, do you believe a fallen angel was in heaven as in God’s abode, but then was cast out?

    Me

    👇

    And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,
    [8] And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more👉 in heaven.👈
    [9] And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. (Rev.12)

     

     

    #945828
    Berean
    Participant

    @ Jodi

    What does it say if you can enter into God’s heavenly abode but then still be able to fall?

    Me

    Origin of Evil and the Fall of Lucifer

    “God is love.” His nature, His law, His government, His dealings with man, and every one of His manifestations are expressions of His love. 1 John 4:16. And God’s love is associated with other qualities of His character. See chapter I. Then how could God permit evil to originate?

     

    All intelligent beings were created free to choose between obedience or disobedience to the great principles of truth, righteousness, and love. Lucifer (meaning “light-bearer”), one of the most exalted cherubim, misused his freedom of choice. Deuteronomy 30:19; Galatians 6:7, 8. This was the beginning of the great rebellion in heaven. Lucifer became Satan (Hebrew Shatan, meaning “adversary”). He set aside the law of God through self-exaltation, deception, lying, and murder. Ezekiel 28:13-15, 17; Isaiah 14:12-14; Revelation 12:7, 8; John 8:44 (cf 1 John 3:15).

     

     

    When Satan and his angels were expelled from heaven, they found their abode on this earth, where they continued the work of rebellion as our first parents yielded to him. Revelation 12: 9, 12, 13; Job 1:6, 7; 1 Peter 5:8; 2 Peter 2:4; Jude 6 (cf Matthew 8:29); Genesis 3:1-15 (cf Romans 5:12).

     

    Satan falsely claims that this earth, with everything that is in it, belongs to him. He became the “god” and “prince of this world,” not by right, but by usurpation. Luke 4:5, 6; 2 Corinthians 4:4; John 12:31; 1 John 5:19.

     

    The final victory of Christ over Satan was obtained in the garden of Gethsemane and on the cross. John 14:30; 16:11; Hebrews 2:14, 15. As a result Christ’s victory, we can also overcome. 1 Corinthians 15:57; James 4:7, 8; Revelation 12:11.

     

    During the millennium (1000 years), Satan will be bound by a chain of circumstances on this earth, and at the end of the millennium he and his followers will be loosened for a short time, and then they will finally be destroyed, and neither root nor branch will be left. Revelation 20:1-3, 7-10; Malachi 4:1, 3; Isaiah 14:15-20; Ezekiel 28:16,18, 19.

     

    Where and How Did Sin Originate?
    “The plan for our redemption was not an afterthought, a plan formulated after the fall of Adam. It was a revelation of ‘the mystery which hath been kept in silence through times eternal.’ Rom. 16:25, R. V. It was an unfolding of the principles that from eternal ages have been the foundation of God’s throne. From the beginning, God and Christ knew of the apostasy of Satan, and of the fall of man through the deceptive power of the apostate. God did not ordain that sin should exist, but He foresaw its existence, and made provision to meet the terrible emergency. So great was His love for the world, that He covenanted to give His only-begotten Son, ‘that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.’ John 3:16.”—The Desire of Ages, p. 22.

     

    “Sin originated with him who, next to Christ, had been most honored of God and was highest in power and glory among the inhabitants of heaven. Lucifer, ‘son of the morning,’ was first of the covering cherubs, holy and undefiled. He stood in the presence of the great Creator, and the ceaseless beams of glory enshrouding the eternal God rested upon him.”—Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 35.

     

    Satan puts the following questions into the minds of infidels: If God knew that our first parents would fall into temptation, why did He create them? Or, why didn’t He, instead, create a different man and a different woman, who would not fall when tempted? But he does not ask the same questions about himself, since he is the originator of sin, and the one who tempted Adam and Eve to transgress God’s command. The origin of sin is a mystery to us. Deuteronomy 29:29.

     

    “There are thousands today echoing the same rebellious complaint against God. They do not see that to deprive man of the freedom of choice would be to rob him of his prerogative as an intelligent being, and make him a mere automaton. It is not God’s purpose to coerce the will. Man was created a free moral agent. Like the inhabitants of all other worlds, he must be subjected to the test of obedience; but he is never brought into such a position that yielding to evil becomes a matter of necessity. No temptation or trial is permitted to come to him which he is unable to resist. God made such ample provision that man need never have been defeated in the conflict with Satan.”—Patriarchs and Prophets, pp. 331-332.

     

    “The law of love being the foundation of the government of God, the happiness of all intelligent beings depends upon their perfect accord with its great principles of righteousness. God desires from all His creatures the service of love—service that springs from an appreciation of His character. He takes no pleasure in a forced obedience; and to all He grants freedom of will, that they may render Him voluntary service.”—Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 34.

     

    “But there was one [Lucifer] that chose to pervert this freedom. Sin originated with him who, next to Christ, had been most honored of God and who stood highest in power and glory among the inhabitants of heaven.”—The Great Controversy, p. 493.

     

    “When the conflict was renewed upon the earth, Satan again won a seeming advantage. By transgression, man became his captive, and man’s kingdom also was betrayed into the hands of the archrebel. Now the way seemed open for Satan to establish an independent kingdom, and to defy the authority of God and His Son.” —Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 331.

     

    “At the time when sin had become a science, when the hostility of man was most violent against heaven, when rebellion struck its roots deep into the human heart, when vice was consecrated as a part of religion, when Satan exulted in the idea that he had led men to such a state of evil that God would destroy the world, Jesus was sent into the world, not to condemn it, but, amazing grace! to save the world. The unfallen worlds watched with intense interest to see Jehovah arise and sweep away the inhabitants of the earth, and Satan boasted that if God did do this, he would complete his plans and secure for himself the allegiance of unfallen worlds. He had arguments ready by which to cast blame upon God, and to spread his rebellion to the world’s above; but at this crisis, instead of destroying the world, God sent his Son to save it.”—Signs of the Times, February 5, 1894.

     

    “Why was it that Satan’s existence was not cut short at the outset of his rebellion? It was that the universe might be convinced of God’s justice in His dealing with evil; that sin might receive eternal condemnation.”—Education, p. 308.

    https://sdarm.org/about-us/beliefs/the-origin-of-evil

     

    #945829
    Jodi
    Participant

    Hi Danny,

    When was the last time you read through the book of Job?

    Job 42: 1 Then Job answered the LORD, and said, 2 I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee. 3 Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge? therefore have I uttered that I understood not; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not. 4 Hear, I beseech thee, and I will speak: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me. 5 I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee. 6 Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.

    Why did Job ABHOR himself and what did he REPENT of?

    In defending himself to his three friends Job’s heart was uncovered to be  prideful and he even questioned the wisdom and justice of God. He complained to God and even said things that were ignorant of God and not true of God, for instance he declared that God must be his enemy.

    So was the adversary correct after all?

    Job 2: 3 And the LORD said unto the adversary, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? and still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause. 4 And the adversary answered the LORD, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life. 5 But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face. 6 And the LORD said unto the adversary, Behold, he is in thine hand; but save his life. 7 So went the adversary forth from the presence of the LORD, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown.

    The word curse is Barak,

    to bless, kneel(Qal)to kneel
    to bless
    (Niphal) to be blessed, bless oneself
    (Piel) to bless
    (Pual) to be blessed, be adored
    (Hiphil) to cause to kneel
    (Hithpael) to bless oneself
    (TWOT) to praise, salute, curse

    interesting that this word renders opposite meanings, but all the same, to curse here, keeping it opposite of praise or adore is exactly what Job did, he came to a point where he was not praising God but complaining and questioning the very wisdom and justice of God. 

    Job did directly curse his day and went on to wish that he had died the day he was born and he even said let not God regard it. This is quite the insult to God, for God indeed gives us life and for a purpose.

    3:1 After this opened Job his mouth, and cursed his day. 2 And Job spake, and said, 3 Let the day perish wherein I was born, and the night in which it was said, There is a man child conceived. 4 Let that day be darkness; let not God regard it from above, neither let the light shine upon it. 5 Let darkness and the shadow of death stain it; let a cloud dwell upon it; let the blackness of the day terrify it… 11 Why died I not from the womb? why did I not give up the ghost when I came out of the belly?

    further,

    10:18 Wherefore then hast thou brought me forth out of the womb? Oh that I had given up the ghost, and no eye had seen me! 19 I should have been as though I had not been; I should have been carried from the womb to the grave. 20 Are not my days few? cease then, and let me alone, that I may take comfort a little, 21 Before I go whence I shall not return, even to the land of darkness and the shadow of death; 22 A land of darkness, as darkness itself; and of the shadow of death, without any order, and where the light is as darkness.

    Job questions why God even brought him into existence and says once again that he should have died at birth. Then he goes so far as to tell God to leave him alone.

    As given in chapter 42, Job ended up abhorring himself and repenting to God. The adversary was right about the heart of Job. 

    The adversary is in the presence of the LORD, but wait, I thought Satan was cast out from the LORD’s presence, can you explain Danny?

    The adversary obeys the LORD, but I thought Satan was a rebel who goes against the LORD, can you explain?

    Why does the adversary ask the LORD to put forth His hand and then the LORD gives permission with instructions for the adversary to then carry out the cursing?

    AND why does Job and his friends who all speak in the book, all attribute Job’s suffering to be coming FROM God? Do God’s faithful angels carryout out what is considered the hand of God, which would include cursing, YES. Are God’s faithful angels thus at times adversaries unto man, YES.

    I find this passage interesting,

    4:17 Shall mortal man be more just than God? shall a man be more pure than his maker? 18 Behold, he put no trust in his servants; and his angels he charged with folly:

    Those who are self-righteous would charge God’s angels with folly.  A self-righteous man, when being cursed by God, would charge God’s angel carrying out the curse, with folly.

    There is not any discussion AT ALL about God “allowing” a wicked spirit being to curse Job. We actually hear nothing about the adversary after the cursing in chapter 2 is carried out. We then have 40 more chapters where much of it is about God and His wisdom and His justice all the while as God is being attributed as the hand that Has cursed Job.  You don’t find that odd Danny?

    #945830
    Jodi
    Participant

    Hi Berean,

    Thanks for giving your more in depth belief, but I am sure you are not surprised to hear that I find major fault with it for a number of scriptural reasons.

    YOU: All intelligent beings were created free to choose between obedience or disobedience to the great principles of truth, righteousness, and love. Lucifer (meaning “light-bearer”), one of the most exalted cherubim, misused his freedom of choice. Deuteronomy 30:19; Galatians 6:7, 8. This was the beginning of the great rebellion in heaven. Lucifer became Satan (Hebrew Shatan, meaning “adversary”). He set aside the law of God through self-exaltation, deception, lying, and murder. Ezekiel 28:13-15, 17; Isaiah 14:12-14; Revelation 12:7, 8; John 8:44 (cf 1 John 3:15).

    ME: Nothing about verse 19 or it’s surrounding text speaks of a fallen angel, so you are off to a really bad start in your attempt to provide scriptural proof to your position. 

    Deuteronomy 30: 17 But if thine heart turn away, so that thou wilt not hear, but shalt be drawn away, and worship other gods, and serve them;18 I denounce unto you this day, that ye shall surely perish, and that ye shall not prolong your days upon the land, whither thou passest over Jordan to go to possess it. 19 I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live: 20 That thou mayest love the LORD thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.

    I would like to take this opportunity to expand on the verses above by including some other scriptures that declare 3 absolutely clear biblical truths that directly apply to this topic and speak against you. 

    devils- shed- demons

    Deuteronomy 32:17 They sacrificed unto devils, not to God; to gods whom they knew not, to new gods that came newly up, whom your fathers feared not.

    Psalms 106:35 But were mingled among the heathen, and learned their works. 36 And they served their idols: which were a snare unto them. 37 Yea, they sacrificed their sons and their daughters unto devils, 38 And shed innocent blood, even the blood of their sons and of their daughters, whom they sacrificed unto the idols of Canaan: and the land was polluted with blood. 39 Thus were they defiled with their own works, and went a whoring with their own inventions.

    Jeremiah 10:5 They are upright as the palm tree, but speak not: they must needs be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to do good. 6 Forasmuch as there is none like unto thee, O LORD; thou art great, and thy name is great in might. 7 Who would not fear thee, O King of nations? for to thee doth it appertain: forasmuch as among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their kingdoms, there is none like unto thee. 8 But they are altogether brutish and foolish: the stock is a doctrine of vanities.

    14:14 Every man is brutish in his knowledge: every founder is confounded by the graven image: for his molten image is falsehood, and there is no breath in them. 

    Here are two clear truths, 1. devils/demons/gods all were fake idols, 2. works of man’s own invention. 1. They were not in anyway real, they could not do any good nor any evil.

    It’s been awhile but I studied all about the ancient religions and their gods and demons, Canaan, Sumerian, Egyptian, Greek and Roman. The people believed their gods and demons could bring both blessing and/or cursing.

    This brings us to the 3rd clear truth, it’s not only that these gods and demons were FAKE, the problem was that people were denoting to these gods and demons as to having powers that God says He alone has. 

    Psalms 115:3 But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased. 4 Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands. 5 They have mouths, but they speak not: eyes have they, but they see not: 6 They have ears, but they hear not: noses have they, but they smell not: 7 They have hands, but they handle not: feet have they, but they walk not: neither speak they through their throat. 8 They that make them are like unto them; so is every one that trusteth in them.

    Isaiah 45:5 I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me: 6 That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am the LORD, and there is none else. 7 I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil (ra/bad): I the LORD do all these things.

    Exodus 4:11 And the LORD said unto him, Who hath made man’s mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the LORD? 12 Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say.

    1 Samuel 16:14 But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him.

    Deuteronomy 30:19 I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:

    Deuteronomy 26:14 And thou shalt not go aside from any of the words which I command thee this day, to the right hand, or to the left, to go after other gods to serve them. 15 But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee: 16 Cursed shalt thou be in the city, and cursed shalt thou be in the field… 20 The LORD shall send upon thee cursing, vexation, and rebuke, in all that thou settest thine hand unto for to do, until thou be destroyed, and until thou perish quickly; because of the wickedness of thy doings, whereby thou hast forsaken me. 21 The LORD shall make the pestilence cleave unto thee, until he have consumed thee from off the land, whither thou goest to possess it. 22 The LORD shall smite thee with a consumption, and with a fever, and with an inflammation, and with an extreme burning, and with the sword, and with blasting, and with mildew; and they shall pursue thee until thou perish. 23 And thy heaven that is over thy head shall be brass, and the earth that is under thee shall be iron. 24 The LORD shall make the rain of thy land powder and dust: from heaven shall it come down upon thee, until thou be destroyed.

    To attribute any supernatural power, bringing forth blessing or a CURSING, to be coming from any other being but God/delivered by His faithful angels having the powers of His Spirit, is to create fake demons, fake gods. 

    God makes this very clear, no one but Him brings blessing and CURSING, everything else is fake cannot do any good, nor any evil, just a work of  man’s own foolish imagination and such is exactly what fallen angels are. 

    I see the second scripture you gave Berean actually leads right into the fourth clear biblical truth I want to present in my next post.

     

    #945838
    Proclaimer
    Participant

    @Proclaimer: I do not.  I have tried for almost 30 years to find clear evidence of “three persons in the Godhead” from Scripture, and it simply isn’t there.  Not a single verse proclaims this “essential truth”.  It is a framework extrapolated from Scripture, constructed over 300+years of debate and speculation on the nature of Christ, and was ultimately settled by two Roman emperors deciding that the debate needed to end.  It is an extra-Biblical doctrine that I believe Paul would conclude is a “hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than Christ”.  This doesn’t mean that it is therefore worthless, by definition, but it certainly calls into question how something that isn’t stated plainly in Scripture can possibly be viewed as the ultimate arbiter of Christian orthodoxy.


    @srs0467aol-com

    Totally agree with you here.

    Have you read this?

    The Trinity Doctrine

    #945839
    T3
    Participant

    @Proclaimer: I have not seen this information, so I appreciate the heads-up.  When I get some free time, I’ll look over the info again.

    Alternatively, I’ve published my own musings / conclusions about the Trinity, which take the additional step of trying to formulate a Biblical picture of Father, Son, and Spirit that stands in contrast to the doctrine of the Trinity.  I call it the “Filium”.  🙂  While you can order the book if you want, the entire book is available on-line here:

    Testing the Trinity

    #945840
    Danny Dabbs
    Participant

    @jodi

    Hi Jodi,

    Yes, Job did complain and repented but he never cursed God.
    Job 2:9-10
    Then his wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast to your integrity? Curse God and die!”
    But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips.

Viewing 20 posts - 25,261 through 25,280 (of 25,957 total)
  • You must be logged in to reply to this topic.

© 1999 - 2024 Heaven Net

Navigation

© 1999 - 2023 - Heaven Net
or

Log in with your credentials

or    

Forgot your details?

or

Create Account