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Author Topic:   The Whole Jesus Thing
Apollyon
Inactive Member


Message 115 of 286 (157333)
11-08-2004 2:48 PM
Reply to: Message 114 by Yaro
11-08-2004 2:13 PM


So saying that he HAD to kill jesus to remove sin is stupid. He dosn't HAVE to do anything. He's omnipotent he can do anything he wants.
You are 100% correct. God is not limited in any way, shape, or form. It is man's tendency to limit God because of our limited and closed minds.
Allow me to throw in my two cents.
Although God does not have to do anything, the fact that he did do something is significant in the sense that it must have had a purpose (not many would argue that God is an arbitrary god). The motivation in which He chose to do this "something" may or may not be evident in the Bible or any religious text. On the same premise that God does not have to do anything, God does not have to reveal His purpose.
From a mortal's perspective attempting to probe the mind of God, my answer to why God would choose to redeem mankind through the blood of Christ might be because of God's desire to express His love in the ultimate way; that is the death of His Son. Such a sacrifice evokes a stronger desire to seek and worship God because of it's implications. Who would not be eternally grateful that another's life was given in place of your own? Most Sunday worship music revolves around the cross and how God chose to express His love. I am sure that God knew this response to His system of atonement when He decided to carry out His will in such a way.
Paul also preaches that if it were not for the resurrection of Christ, then a Christian's faith would be in vain. I am sure that the resurrection also played a key role in God's purpose for the death of Jesus. Despite the torture and humiliation that Christ had to endure, His glorification through the resurrection was a showcase of the power of God and fulfillment of prophesy.
Perhaps the death and resurrection was God's way of expressing His love and power, respectively. God was not subject to doing it, but it was the course of action he predetermined for humanity.

This message is a reply to:
 Message 114 by Yaro, posted 11-08-2004 2:13 PM Yaro has replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 116 by Yaro, posted 11-08-2004 3:11 PM Apollyon has replied
 Message 117 by Yaro, posted 11-08-2004 3:13 PM Apollyon has not replied
 Message 156 by tsig, posted 11-10-2004 9:42 PM Apollyon has not replied

  
Apollyon
Inactive Member


Message 118 of 286 (157359)
11-08-2004 3:39 PM
Reply to: Message 116 by Yaro
11-08-2004 3:11 PM


I see no reason to insist that Jesus's death was meaningless. God set the standard for which He would redeem humanity. I acknowledge that, yes, he could have gone about it another way and thus could of been avoided, however it would be less effective in drawing more people to Him through the circumstances that we find ourselves in.
It is in our human nature to be mournful of death and the end of a life. God knew this because He created us in this way. Therefore, assuming God's purpose is to establish a loving relationship with His creation, it is a plausible conclusion that having Jesus die was the most efficient way in carrying out His purpose.
Yes, 'innocents' have died in the past. However, if you believe the story in the Gospels, then you know that Jesus was the only one who could redeem mankind because of His perfect state. No 'innocent' had or ever will have the capacity to take on such a burden.
I am sure that you have heard all of this before, but I fail to see a reason why you should feel insulted. God's course of action was not in vain. He did express His love to mankind and millions of people express their love back to Him every Sunday.
Did He have to do it the way He did? No. Was it the most effective way of accomplishing His goals given the circumstances He chose to put us in? I sure think so.
Will we ever know for sure? Maybe.
-Apollyon
This message has been edited by Apollyon, 11-08-2004 03:41 PM

This message is a reply to:
 Message 116 by Yaro, posted 11-08-2004 3:11 PM Yaro has not replied

  
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