Why do Christians say that Jesus is God?¶
Can’t we simply believe in Jesus Christ as a human who was born by a divine plan as the long awaited Messiah announced by Jewish scriptures? Why do Christians believe that Jesus is God, not just a divine revelation? Why did Christians have to define the concept of Trinity?
- Trinity¶
The idea that the one God can be seen and worshipped in three persons: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
My short answer to these questions: because the game wouldn’t work without these concepts. When you say that you believe in Jesus Christ, you cannot add “but not in a Holy Spirit” or “but not in a Father in Heaven”.
The Gospel of John is especially clear in describing Jesus as much more than a simple human. John 8:21-24: So he said to them again, “I am going away, and you will seek me, and you will die in your sin. Where I am going, you cannot come.” So the Jews said, “Will he kill himself, since he says, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come’?” He said to them, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins.”
During several centuries after the historical events around Jesus’ death and resurrection, humans who were touched by the Gospel had hard discussions about how to translate the Gospel into human language. The biblical canon and the creeds and the ancient writings of early Christian scholars are a result of these discussions. It’s not me who is going to reinvent that wheel.
- Father¶
One of the most specifically Christian names for God.
- Son¶
Title given to Jesus Christ when seeing him as the divine Son of God. God seen as a human.
- Holy Spirit¶
God seen as a divine spirit who is sent to us by Jesus Christ and helps us to understand and spread the Gospel.
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