Sayings of Jesus, what to believe and being or not of the devil

In which way would we like to look at Jesus? How do we want to respect him? How much of his words do we want to accept? When he tells others that he is the sent one from God, do we want to believe that, or do we want to believe it was God Himself Who came down to earth? When Jesus says he can not do anything without his heavenly Father, the Only One God, are we willing to accept that that Jesus really could not do all those miracles out of his own power? When he would have been God than naturally it would have been He Himself Who did all those marvellous things.

“17 But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh even until now, and I work. 18 For this cause therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only brake the sabbath, but also called God his own Father, making himself equal with God. 19 Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father doing: for what things soever he doeth, these the Son also doeth in like manner. 20 For the Father loveth the Son, and showeth him all things that himself doeth: and greater works than these will he show him, that ye may marvel. 21 For as the Father raiseth the dead and giveth them life, even so the Son also giveth life to whom he will. 22 For neither doth the Father judge any man, but he hath given all judgment unto the Son; 23 that all may honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He that honoreth not the Son honoreth not the Father that sent him. 24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth him that sent me, hath eternal life, and cometh not into judgment, but hath passed out of death into life. 25 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour cometh, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God; and they that {1} hear shall live. {1) Or [hearken]} 26 For as the Father hath life in himself, even so gave he to the Son also to have life in himself: 27 and he gave him authority to execute judgment, because he is a son of man.” (John 5:17-27 ASV)

“27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be fearful. 28 Ye heard how I said to you, I go away, and I come unto you. If ye loved me, ye would have rejoiced, because I go unto the Father: for the Father is greater than I. 29 And now I have told you before it come to pass, that, when it is come to pass, ye may believe. 30 I will no more speak much with you, for the prince of the world cometh: and he hath nothing {1} in me; {1) Or [in me. But that…I do, arise etc]} 31 but that the world may know that I love the Father, and as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do. Arise, let us go hence.” (John 14:27-31 ASV)

But when God knows everything, in case Jesus is God, why did he say he did not know when the end times would come or who would be seated next to him? Jesus even did not know when he would return to the earth, though we do know God knows everything. Those who insist that Jesus is God, do they not make a liar of that God and of Jesus? Though we are told in Scripture that God does not tell lies and that Jesus did not sin.

“Son of man” appears 25 times in Luke, a copy (c. 800) shown here. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

“God is not a man, that he should lie, Neither the son of man, that he should repent: Hath he said, and will he not do it? Or hath he spoken, and will he not make it good?” (Numbers 23:19 ASV)

“that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we may have a strong encouragement, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us:” (Hebrews 6:18 ASV)

Not telling the truth is considered lying or sinning by the Word of God. Is there than so much controversy in God’s Word? We do not think so. It is only we should believe what God says and what Jesus says and take those words for granted.

Are we willing to accept that it is said about Jesus that he is the beloved son of God, a son of man and not a spirit, whilst God is Spirit?

Real lovers of God accept the Word of God as telling the Truth and with that Word of God we have the Kethubim Bet or Messianic Writings which present Jeshua as the sent one from God. He is the promised Messiah, the Word of God, spoken at the fall of man in the Garden of Eden and later to the young girl in Nazareth, which came in fulfilment.

Many could see Jesus, though God can not be seen. He was tempted more than once, though God can not be tempted, and many people were against him because he so clearly could explained the Word of God but also pointed them at their weaknesses. For Jesus, who came to bring God’s Word, the attitude many took against him, not willing to hear him and rebuking what he said, made it to be like a war were there is no neutral ground. People had to know if they’re not on Jesus his side, they are like the enemy and in a certain way like Jesus called Peter at one moment the satan, they are also the adversaries of God

We should make it clear in our minds in which way we are willing to accept Jesus. It is true, lots of people would like to force others the dogmatic teachings and want you to make Jesus as your god. Naturally he is a high and important person (a god) but not The God of gods. Jesus asks his followers to come to knowledge and to get insight from Scriptures. He also asks his followers to help each other and if they were not helping he considered them to be making things worse. Therefore lets make that we are for Christ Jesus giving him the full respect he owns and be with him. Let us also remember that he, who does not gather with Jesus, scatters.

Let us try to bring unity in Christ by showing people the Word of God and showing them who Jesus Christ really is and what he has done for mankind.

“You are of your father the devil”

(April 16)

John’s Gospel records in greater detail the sayings of Jesus. Sometimes Jesus did not speak in a straightforward manner, especially to those who were jealous of his popularity and who were trying to challenge him; often he uses figures of speech: these were beyond their ability to understand.

Our chapter 8 today is full of this kind of language. His opponents claim, “Abraham is our Father” causing Jesus to say

“If you were Abraham’s children, you would be doing what Abraham did … you cannot bear to hear my word. You are of your father the devil … He was a murderer from the beginning …” (verses 39,43,44).

The way Jesus uses the word ‘devil’ challenges our understanding, it becomes clearer when recall that in chapter 6 we read,

“Did I not choose you, the Twelve? And yet one of you is a devil” (verse 70)

– clearly referring to Judas Iscariot.

There is no neutral position in Bible language. The first murderer was Cain, he was the first to make himself an ‘enemy’ of God – even before he murdered his brother, he wanted to set his own standards in approaching God. It has been so ever since! We show our genuineness in acknowledging God in the way we live. In those early centuries, the acknowledging of God descended to virtual nothingness by Noah’s day. And today?

Let’s give more thought to the word “devil”! Sometimes the translators do not render the Greek word ‘diabolos’ as devil. Remember Paul’s description of attitudes in

“the last days … (when) people will be lovers of self, lovers of money … unholy … slanderous … lovers of pleasure …” (2 Timothy 3:1-4).

The word ‘diabolos’ occurs in the Greek, but the translators choose use the word ‘slanderous’ to translate it – the AV has “false accusers” – those whose heart is “false” – as Judas’s became. How many today have ‘true’ hearts?

We sense more and more that we are living “in the last days” and the world seems to have many “devil”. But the vital point we grasp is that we must think and live as “children of God” – a greater vision still than the Jews wanted to have as “children of Abraham”. Let us strive to succeed, where they failed.

Do you remember what we read in Luke’s Gospel last month? Jesus said,

“Whoever is not with me is against me, and who ever does not gather with me scatters” (11:23).

The place to “gather” is in God’s word, notice how often Jesus quoted from it, let us do the same and show that we are children of our heavenly Father.

– Short thoughts for the day you always may find at the Christadelphian magazine

Preceding post: Have you also been deceived

Additional reading:

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I am A son of God (hudds53.wordpress.com)
Over the years with health issue and ever decreasing physical limitations I have been presented with a number of “challenges” that I have to get my head wrapped around and come to acceptance. To me acceptance is important because with it I can adjust my thinking try to face my new reality on get on with living life. Acceptance does not in anyway mean giving up, it means recognizing my current situation for what it is and accordingly live life the best I can.
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You consider yourself to be one of God’s children, a son of God. Are you acting like it? Thinking about that seems to push my head in the right direction.
Now on the chance I didn’t make this clear as did apparently happen the last time I wrote if this. No, I am not claiming to be a Jesus like figure or anything like that. Jesus was THE Son of God. I am merely claiming to be one of those that our Heavenly Father loves as his children.
Truly This Man Was the Son of God (brentkuhlman.wordpress.com)
From out of nowhere and totally unexpected someone at the foot of the cross dares to declare it again: “Truly this Man was the Son of God!”Which Man is the Son of God? According to a Roman centurion (of all people) the mocked, brutally beaten, nailed and hung on the wooden cross as a capital criminal, graveyard dead Jesus is the Son of God! Really? The dead Man Jesus is the Son of God?

Yes, indeed! Absolutely! Let there be no doubt about it. “Truly!” the Roman centurion declares. The corpse suspended on the cross is the Son of God! We would have expected someone else to say such a thing! Like Peter. James or John. Matthew. Mary His mother. Mary Magdelene. But no! The soldier most likely in charge of the brutal crucifixion is the one that tells the truth. Frankly. Forthrightly. Bluntly. He makes no bones about it: “Truly this Man was the Son of God!”
Unashamed! (pastorsstudy.blogspot.com)
if by placing your faith and trust and life in the hands of the risen Savior, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, you discover that your sins and their guilt have been dealt with and if you discover that Jesus bore your shame and that you are now brought into an eternal loving relationship with the God who created and is sovereign over all things, of what are you ashamed?
Jesus Christ: He Lives (twoinches.typepad.com)
The unwavering testimony that Jesus lives. The truth that he is the son of God, and that they are two distinct beings. And the truth that we were created by him, that we are sons and daughters of God. Knowing that we are children of God gives us a place in our world and helps us know the plan our Heavenly Father has for us to return to him. The atonement of Jesus Christ and our own repentance are critical parts of this plan.
The True Story About the Christian Easter (stateofglobe.com)
This movie, better than any other ever made gives the true story of what the Son of God Jesus Christ gave mankind. “The Passion of Christ” shows what Easter is really about, and in my view should be watched every Easter. Jesus Christ re-opened the “closed door” between us, the fallen humans and our Creator, the one true God, the one calling Himself “I am ….”.
Scripture of the Day, 4/7 (sowegalive.com)
1 John 2:1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous
Desperate (pattyperkowski.com)
Judas opposes Jesus, betrayer and saviour. For Jesus to have saved the world he had to be betrayed, and by someone in his intimate circle.
Kneeling at the Crossroads (greenlightlady.wordpress.com)
Though Peter vehemently denied Christhis repentance was equally strong

and he became a great pillar

to the faith all believers belong
Viewing Last Supper through imagination (newsinfo.inquirer.net)
Judas, is he lost forever? (omharris.blogspot.com)