Donna Williams Supporter

Jesus, said in John 10:30, "I and My Father are one." So there should be no doubt, that what he said, is true. For we know that God cannot lie, as stated in Numbers 23:19a.

I believe that we will never be able to answer the question, why Jesus doesn't know the day and hour of his return based on our human intellect.

However, he clearly stated, that only the Father knows; however, this doesn't mean that he and the Father are not one. While Jesus was on this earth, he only knew, spoke, and did, as he was commanded by the Father to do, in the power of the Spirit. 

The Son, was under the authority of his Father, and only knew what was revealed to him. 

I believe that we as the people of God, need to accept that there is an appointed time, for all things to be revealed. God wants us to walk by faith, and not by sight. He wants us to simply take him at his word, whether it makes sense or not. 

Even though, we do not know the day or hour of his return; Jesus did give us signs that we need to pay attention to. God has the right to reveal what he chooses to make known or not to us. That's why he is sovereign, and we are not!

The devil is using arguments to keep us divided in the body of Christ. He wants us to doubt the validity of God's Word, the Bible. As you stated, your Muslim friend believes that Christians believe in three Gods. As Christians, we believe in one God, who is three persons in one, the Godhead displayed unity in the salvation of mankind. 

May I encourage you to avoid these types of arguments, because the devil is very cunning and persuasive, and he will have you questioning whether what you believe about God is true or not. Case in point, see Genesis chapter 3.

2 days ago • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Robie Haney Supporter

I believe Jesus as human form, was hidden from the answer as he said no man knows the hour. Therefore He himself did not know the answer, or it was hidden from him during his time on earth. He never said that He himself didn't because He and his father are one. Also, I wouldn't take any religious lessons from a Muslim as they follow a false god.

23 hours ago • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Justin Hale Supporter

An easy way to grasp how Jesus can be "fully God in bodily form" (Colossians 2:9) and still in any way "limited," is to imagine God as a "perfect quality" that can also have a "quantity." Jesus says very plainly that "The Father is *greater* than I." (John 14:28). 

This word translated "greater" literally means "bigger." You may find it familiar. It is the word "megas." Megas is a term of *quantity,* not a term of *quality*. 

Think of it this way, if a "mega-celebrity" who normally appears in Hollywood in front of cameras with millions of people watching them suddenly decides to visit your small home town without the lights and cameras following them, are they still the same mega-celebrity with the same talents, charisma, and qualities? 

Yes. They are just "smaller" in their scope of influence. They are "less recognized" and less able in that social context to express their usual qualities, not because *they* have changed, but because *their situation* has changed. 

In Christ, God "condensed" Himself into a body as limited as ours. Scripture says that God was "in Christ reconciling Himself to the world" (2 Corinthians 5:19). All of God's qualities can exist "within" a human body, just not as human knowledge itself. Human knowledge is like a small cup trying to contain an ocean. Jesus had God's full knowledge within Himself but the "compartment" represented by His human knowledge was "small" when we compare it to God the Father's "mega-sized" container. In fact, we ourselves are no different right now. We have the entire "Holy Spirit" (Who is also fully God) abiding "within" us similarly. Yet, we are "small" and must learn to deepen our own capacity for divine knowledge, (Colossians 1:10). We do this by following the example of Christ, who likewise "grew in grace and wisdom" (Luke 2:40). Scripture describes us as "adopted children of God." (Ephesians 1:5).

Why would God Himself need to "grow?" He was "small" and needed to get "bigger" in His scope of social influence. He wasn't "less in quality," needing to get "better." That does describe us, though. We aren't God, so we need to get "better" (closer to the Holy Spirit within us) and also "bigger" (greater in our scope of influence). 

The next time someone suggests that God can't be "small," ask them if that means that God isn't ruler of the microscopic world or the quantum realm? Do these "small" places exist outside of His authority? I bet they will agree that God is God of those realms too, He remains fully God, no matter how "small" the environment is where He exists. If He chooses to take on human bodily form, He doesn't become any less God. He is just "smaller" in how He presents Himself and agrees to stay within a "conscious compartment" where everything He is and everything He knows isn't obvious even to Him. 

Do humans, (who are made in God's direct image) ever do anything similar?

Sure. We frequently make ourselves "smaller" when we interact with people who only appreciate certain aspects of who we are, or who don't share our highest level of knowledge. These could be people who aren't as knowledgeable in our specific field of expertise, or perhaps it could be when we interact with young children. Are we any less "knowledgeable" in those moments, or just intentionally "smaller" so we can be more relatable to them?

Jesus is fully God. At no time was He ever less than fully God. He became "smaller" for us so we would have a relatable example to follow. That is why He is known as the "firstborn from the dead" (Colossians 1:18) leading many sons to glory (Hebrews 2:10). 

Death and suffering are "human" limitations. They make us "small." They don't truly change who we *really* are inside. God intends to prove this for each one of us by resurrecting us into a "body" that is intimately joined to all of His children. This is the mega- "Church Body" where God can walk directly among us without needing to get "smaller" to be relatable to us, (2 Corinthians 6:16).

14 hours ago • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report