Salvation

[dragon]

how important is it for salvation to believe that Jesus is God?  what if you believe that he is the savior but only God's son and not God himself?

[shrekandogre]

Well its the main part of salvation and if you dont believe in him as God himself then first your not believing the Bible because he even says he is like when he was in the garden.  And also then your destroying a big part of Christianity by rejecting the concept of the Trinity

[dragon]

   how can i help out a jw friend who can't see this?

[Soldier4Christ]

Show him the truth in the Bible and pray for him.

[Evangelist]

 how can i help out a jw friend who can't see this?

Mat 9:6 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.

Jhn 8:24 I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am [he], ye shall die in your sins.

Luk 5:17 When Jesus saw how much faith they had, he said to the crippled man, "My friend, your sins are forgiven."

The Pharisees and the experts began arguing, "Jesus must think he is God!  Only God can forgive sins."

Luk 5:20 And when he saw their faith, he said unto him, Man, thy sins are forgiven thee.

Luk 7:47 Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, [the same] loveth little.

Luk 7:48 And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven.

Good luck....they're a hard-headed bunch.

[Jemidon2004]

Have fun...lol. You can only show Him Scripture and what it says on the subject, and back what you're saying up with God's Word, but ultimately it'll have to be God who will open your friend's eyes and hearts so that he may see. Just be patient and continue to show Christ through you, as well as continue to show him what Scripture says about salvation. Acts 4:12 "For there is no other name under heaven whereby we must be saved" That's a declaration there friend. Peter clearly shows that salvation comes through none other. Just figured i'd shoot that across your bow. God Bless

Joshua

[felix102]

If he does not believe that Jesus is God then he is missing one very important concept:

The Trinity.


God the Father, God the Holy Spirit, God the son Jesus Christ
http://forums.christiansunite.com/index.php?board=6;action=display;threadid=2397

I'd tell you friend to read through that.

1 tim 2:5
For there is ONE God and ONE mediator between God and men, the man CHRIST JESUS.

john 20:28
Thomas said to him, "My Lord and my GOD!"

These are just a couple verses pointing out Jesus is God. It blatantly says Jesus is God. Either your friend can believe Jesus is God or believe the bible is false.

[Bronzesnake]

As long as your friend is using the NWT book, he's in serious trouble.

 Bronzesnake

[felix102]

how important is it for salvation to believe that Jesus is God?  

A person can receive salvation through Jesus without first knowing that Jesus is God. It is first believing that Jesus Christ died for your sins.

In Jesus, "we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins" (col 1:14)

"whoever believes in him shall not persih but have eternal life." (john 3:16)

"whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in teh name of God's one and only Son."


However, not understanding that Jesus is God is very detrimental to your friend's spiritual growth. If he is already well grown into a faith and still does not believe that Jesus is God then there is a problem in that faith.

[nChrist]

how important is it for salvation to believe that Jesus is God?  

That's a very good question. It is not important for salvation to believe that Jesus is God. It is believing in Jesus.

In Jesus, "we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins" (col 1:14)

"whoever believes in him shall not persih but have eternal life." (john 3:16)

"whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in teh name of God's one and only Son."


However, not understanding that Jesus is God is very detrimental to your friend's spiritual growth.

Brother Felix,

I must disagree completely. If someone believes in a Jesus Christ who is not Almighty God, they are lost. There is ONLY one Jesus Christ who is SALVATION, and HE IS ALMIGHTY GOD!

Belief in a Jesus Christ who is just a man, just a prophet, or just anyone other than Almighty God is belief in a fairy tale that does NOT result in Salvation. In fact, the denial that Jesus Christ is Almighty God is denial of JESUS CHRIST, our Lord and Saviour forever. Jesus Christ is the Creator, VERY GOD, ALMIGHTY GOD! Belief in any other or rejecting HIM is as lost as one can get.

Brother, there are a host of lost people who believe in some sort of a deity. Belief in some sort of a deity does not result in Salvation.

Love In Christ,
Tom

Romans 5:1-2  Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

[ivan]

Mat 9:6 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.
Jhn 8:24 I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am [he], ye shall die in your sins.
Luk 5:17 When Jesus saw how much faith they had, he said to the crippled man, "My friend, your sins are forgiven."
The Pharisees and the experts began arguing, "Jesus must think he is God!  Only God can forgive sins."
Luk 5:20 And when he saw their faith, he said unto him, Man, thy sins are forgiven thee.
Luk 7:47 Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, [the same] loveth little.
Luk 7:48 And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven.

I think that only God can pay the price for our sins and redeems us.
So if Christ is not God we are in our sins yet.
This is the importance.

[felix102]

Brother tom,

I've been thinking heavily about this. For those of us who belong to God and are not infants, we simply cannot believe that Jesus Christ is not God. We know this is true. Jesus Christ is our Lord and God. Amen.


But back to the question. I answered in a bad fashion. I dont mean to say, knowing Jesus Christ is God is not important. It seems that way and that is my mistake in writing. It is very very important. But I do not believe a person who has accepted Christ will understand that Jesus is God before they accept Him as savior.

I speak of this out of experience. For I talked to a person who desired God and had just recently known the grace of Jesus Christ. He has now put his faith in the redeeming blood of Jesus Christ. He is saved! He believes in Jesus Christ. His sins were payed for by the blood of Jesus Christ; he has accepted the gift that God desires us to receive! However, he still has much to learn about our common faith. I am aware that he does not understand the trinity yet. This is why I believe this is true.

A better way to rewrite the original question is:
Can I be saved by the grace of Jesus Christ without first knowing that Jesus is God?

Yes you can.



However, after you come to know the faith there is a big problem if you do not come to know that Jesus is God. A very big and serious problem.

I know that there may be some of you who embrace the gift of God -Jesus- but you do not believe that Jesus is God. Whatever doctrine you keep or belief you have, you need to re-examine that and ask God to show you the truth.


You will notice that many cults (jehovah's witnesses, mormon, etc) do not believe in the trinity and the bible as the word of God. Simply, they do not believe Jesus is God. There are many other things but when Jesus is not God, that is a major sign that this doctrine is not of God.

If someone believes in a Jesus Christ who is not Almighty God, they are lost. There is ONLY one Jesus Christ who is SALVATION, and HE IS ALMIGHTY GOD!

Yes indeed!

[Melody]

I must disagree completely. If someone believes in a Jesus Christ who is not Almighty God, they are lost. There is ONLY one Jesus Christ who is SALVATION, and HE IS ALMIGHTY GOD!

Belief in a Jesus Christ who is just a man, just a prophet, or just anyone other than Almighty God is belief in a fairy tale that does NOT result in Salvation. In fact, the denial that Jesus Christ is Almighty God is denial of JESUS CHRIST, our Lord and Saviour forever. Jesus Christ is the Creator, VERY GOD, ALMIGHTY GOD! Belief in any other or rejecting HIM is as lost as one can get.

Well put.  I have aways been puzzled by the bumper stickers that say "Great Prophets" and then list Mohammed, Elijah and Jesus since prophets are identified by the fact that they never lie.

Either Jesus *is* God as he said He was, or he's a liar.  You can't have it both ways.

[ollie]

how important is it for salvation to believe that Jesus is God?  what if you believe that he is the savior but only God's son and not God himself?

JOhn 20:30.  "And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book:
 31.  But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name."


 Acts 8:36.  "And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?
 37.  And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God."

Acts 9:7.  "And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.
 18.  And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized.
 19.  And when he had received meat, he was strengthened. Then was Saul certain days with the disciples which were at Damascus.
 20.  And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God".

Romans 1:1.  "Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,
 2.  (Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,)
 3.  Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh;
 4.  And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:"

Rphesians 4:13.  "Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:"

 1 John 4:11.  "Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.
 12.  No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.
 13.  Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.
 14.  And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.
 15.  Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God."

1 John 5:4.  "For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
 5.  Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?"
6.  This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth.
 7.  For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.
 8.  And there are three that bear witness in earth, the spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one.
 9.  If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son.
 10.  He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son.
 11.  And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
 12.  He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life."

God speaks what must be believed.

ollie
 

[nChrist]

AMEN OLLIE!!

Love In Christ,
Tom

John 8:12  Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.