WE ARE ALL MIDDLEMEN

2012-05-26T05:23:00.001-07:00

God’s Image

The life of every human being is a transaction from the day of birth to death and at one point or the other, everyone is every now and then a ‘middleman’.

God made sure that we are nothing independently and taught us to always be in service to one another as the only sure way to prove our love to Him. As such, every middleman himself needs a middleman now and then. But in times of high competition, how fast and far your product sales depends on how well you marketed it. Right?

God the Father, made us all in His image and likeness, (Gen 1^26-27) but, do we always portray this likeness, talk less of the image that we change easily and readily.

“And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.” (Gen 2⁷)

When you consider the wicked acts of men you would wonder whose’ image they represent. As a result of which many questions arise, leading many to doubt if there is God at all. This is because we have failed in our duty of presenting the actual image to the world; instead we created and presented our own which is nothing but selfish, destructive, confused.

“And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love ; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.” (1 John 4¹⁶)

It bothers me now, how I present the image of my God to the world and what people may say of my God on my account should concern because I know there is always a reward for any middleman who did his job well.

However you answer to these questions, I believe they will help you in repositioning yourself for service to God through humanity.

· How much of God do people see in you?

o Am I that Godly person people look up to?

o Am I that kind of person that reminds others of the beauty of God.

· What kind of God do they see when they see you?

o Do they see a loving and caring God, or do they see a bully, a terrorist?

o Do they see a peace loving God, or do they see a bloodthirsty war monger?

o Do they see Him moving contract, promotion or case files or do they see him sitting on them.

· What can they say of your God on your account? Would their comments be filled with

o He is a great God,

o He is a loving and caring God.

Or would rather be

o He is a monster.

We are middlemen all the way because God allows us to see his glory only through one another and the measure of our love for God can only be shown in how much we love one another.

“Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.” (1 John 4⁷)

“Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm: for love is strong as death; jealousy is cruel as the grave: the coals thereof are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame.” (Song 8⁶)

“No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.” (1 John 4¹²)

Let this image in you sell so the glory of God Almighty may be seen through you.

2012-05-26T04:48:00.000-07:00

JESUS THE SON OF GOD AND GOD

I watched a video clip where a Muslim Scholar (I couldn’t get his name) argued that Jesus is though “one of the greatest prophets is not God” and further challenged that if it can be proven to him where Jesus unambiguously stated that he is God, or where Jesus said “worship me” then he will accept Christianity. He insisted that it is the Church’s mistake or may be due to false understanding of the scriptures that we call Jesus God.

I find this particularly interesting because if I were there, he would have gotten more than he bargained for because I considered his argument as rather childish and most Muslims however seemed to accept his position as a scholar of the Qur’an.

One question poses here: if Jesus got killed on the cross for saying “I am the Son of God” what would have happened if he had said “I am God”, or “worship me”? Would he not have ended up destroying the very people he came to save? Because I believe, the treatment he would have received would have been enough to conclude that we were beyond saving.

Jesus didn’t need to say ‘he is God’, or ‘worship me’ for us to know where he was heading because everything he said in the course of his public ministry pointed to that fact considering all the various titles he called himself.

The scholar in question quoted the bible vigorously in trying to prove his points and I’d say he is damn good at it. His quoting the bible is indication that he believes in it and he of course said he and the Islamic faith believe in Jesus to be one of the greatest prophets of God and he quoted Acts 2:22 where it says “Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know” to show that Jesus is not God. He further quoted the gospel of John 16:7 “Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you” to support that Prophet Muhammad (SAW) was the last prophet and Jesus’ promise to the world. It is interesting to note what seems like desperate attempts at denying Jesus’ divinity.

IS JESUS GOD?

‘Is Jesus God’? The answer is ‘yes’. My answer to this question is not just based on the teachings of the church but also on biblical facts from the teachings of Jesus himself and prophesies of the prophets (Isaiah precisely).

Considering that we all (Christians and Muslims) believe in the bible to be the teachings of God, I think we may just allow the scriptures prove this fact. Okay, lets take a moment to review some scriptures.

To expect Jesus to say ‘I am God’ or ‘worship me’ is asking for too much. Jesus did say ‘I am the Son of God’ many times and it is important to know who the Son of God really is, that’s why I would like to review a few scriptural texts here.

He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God. Matt 27⁴³

Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God. Jn 10³⁶

Then said they all, art thou then the Son of God ? And he said unto them, ye say that I am. Luke 22⁷⁰

Okay, now, that was Jesus calling himself ‘Son of God’, but let’s take a look at other instances:

And, behold, they cried out, saying, what have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time? Matt 8²⁹

Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God. Matt 27⁵⁴

The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Mark 1¹

And unclean spirits, when they saw him, fell down before him, and cried, saying, Thou art the Son of God. Mark 3¹¹

And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. Luke 1³⁵

And devils also came out of many, crying out, and saying, Thou art Christ the Son of God . And he rebuking them suffered them not to speak: for they knew that he was Christ. Luke 4⁴¹

When he saw Jesus, he cried out, and fell down before him, and with a loud voice said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God most high? I beseech thee, torment me not. Luke 8²⁸

And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God. John 1³⁴

The list goes on and on, but the point is not to prove that Jesus is the Son of God but rather that he is ‘God’. The question is, who is the Son of God? The following scriptures would tell us more:

Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. Isa 7¹⁴

Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. Matt 1²³

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful Counsellor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Isa 9⁶

The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Isa 40³

Remember John the Baptist is referred to as this voice.

For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Matt 3³

From the above, it can be seen that Jesus is the Son of God just as he said, and the prophesies of Isaiah also states clearly the that ‘the Son of God’ is ‘God’. There is no doubt as to who John the Baptist referred when he pointed Jesus out as ‘the one’.

The Jews expressed various reactions towards Jesus’ teachings which clearly pointed to them as implying that Jesus placed himself at equal with God.

The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God. John 10³³

Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the Sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God. John 5¹⁸

But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him. John 10³⁸

When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby. John 11⁴

Jesus again performs tasks that are exclusive for God such forgives of sins and the resurrection.

Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only? Mark 2⁷

But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins , (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house. Matt 9⁶

Jesus promises resurrection

And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day. John 6⁴⁰

Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. John 6⁵⁴

As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me. John 6⁵⁷

Jesus placed himself at pals with God severally when he said:

These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee: John 17¹

And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was. John 17⁵

I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine. John 17⁹

And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them. John 17¹⁰

And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are. John 17¹¹

Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father , and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost… Matt 28¹⁹

Should we worship Him (Jesus)?

Why not? After all he is God. Perhaps he himself never asked us to worship in any unambiguous terms, but, he never stopped anyone from worshipping him nor did he discourage anyone who wanted to.

Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, of a truth thou art the Son of God. Matt 14³³

And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him. John 9³⁸

There is no indication whatsoever that Jesus had any problem with being worshipped and some of us do that from the bottom of our hearts.

So once again, is Jesus God?

And the answer is YES!

NOTE: there is no mention of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) in the Gospels, he is not the ‘Comforter’ because he is dead. The comforter is not supposed to die but live on.

And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever… John 14¹⁶

Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. John 14¹⁷

May the Spirit of Truth guide you in your search for the truth and lead you to the path of truth. In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.