JESUS CHRIST

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=90 BGCOLOR="#CC9900" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="043005a0dwnjzk.gif"> <div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="EDWARD WATSONS WEBWORLD"><U><B>home</B></U></A><B> | </B><FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#FFCC66" FACE="Arial" ><B>EDWARD WATS</B><B>ON'S WEBWORLD</B></FONT></div> <div> <B>JESUS CHRIST</B><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id18.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="JOSEPH SMITH"><U><B>JOSEPH SMITH</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id19.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="HOLY BIBLE"><U><B>HOLY BIBLE</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id20.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="MY BOOKS: MORMONISM SERIES"><U><B>MY BOOKS: MORMONISM SERIES</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id34.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="BOOK OF MORMON"><U><B>BOOK OF MORMON</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id35.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="EASTERN ORTHODOXY"><U><B>EASTERN ORTHODOXY</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id36.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="ROMAN CATHOLICISM"><U><B>ROMAN CATHOLICISM</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id37.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="PROTESTANTISM"><U><B>PROTESTANTISM</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id38.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="MORMONISM"><U><B>MORMONISM</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id46.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="IGLESIA NI CRISTO"><U><B>IGLESIA NI CRISTO</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id45.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="JEHOVAHS WITNESSES"><U><B>JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id44.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="BAHAI"><U><B>BAHA'I</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id43.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="GOD AND THE PROBLEM OF EVIL"><U><B>GOD AND THE PROBLEM OF EVIL</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id42.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="COSMOLOGY"><U><B>COSMOLOGY</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id136.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="REASON AND FAITH"><U><B>REASON AND FAITH</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id41.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="LOWCARB"><U><B>LOW-CARB</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id40.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="CANCER"><U><B>CANCER</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id39.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS"><U><B>INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS</B></U></A></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=210 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> JESUS CHRIST</div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B><IMG SRC="06cb4fc0.jpg" border=0 width="180" height="252" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id83.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="SECTION 2: INTRODUCTION"><U><B>INTRODUCTION</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id85.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="PART 1: DOES JESUS HAVE A PREEXISTENCE?"><U><B>PART 1: DOES JESUS HAVE A PRE-EXISTENCE?</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id86.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="1"><U><B>Chapter 1: Scriptural Passages That Show Jesus Had a Pre-existence</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id87.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="PART 2: IS JESUS GOD?"><U><B>PART 2: IS JESUS "GOD"?</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id88.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="1"><U><B>Chapter 1: Scriptural Passages That Describe Jesus as “God”</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id89.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="2"><U><B>Chapter 2: The Dual-Nature of Christ </B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id90.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="3"><U><B>Chapter 3: Whose Gospel and Church? </B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id91.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="4"><U><B>Chapter 4: JESUS: The Son of Man / The  Son of God </B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id92.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="5"><U><B>Chapter 5: Jesus is LORD!</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id93.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="6"><U><B>Chapter 6: Biblical Passages Some Use in Rejecting Jesus As “God”</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id94.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="7"><U><B>Chapter 7: JESUS: Created vs Uncreated</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id95.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="8"><U><B>Chapter 8: Is Jesus Subordinate to the Father?</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id96.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="PART 2: CONCLUSION"><U><B>Part 2: Conclusion</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id98.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="PART 3: ARE JESUS AND JEHOVAH THE SAME?"><U><B>PART 3: ARE JESUS AND JEHOVAH THE SAME?</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id99.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="1"><U><B>Chapter 1: Jesus Christ is Jehovah</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id100.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="2"><U><B>Chapter 2: The Almighty God vs the Mighty God</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id101.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="3"><U><B>Chapter 3: The History of YHWH (Jehovah) in the Hebrew Scriptures</B></U></A><B> </B></div> <div> <A HREF="id102.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="4"><U><B>Chapter 4: A Linguistic Error</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id103.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="5"><U><B>Chapter 5: Passages Used in Claiming Jesus Christ isn't YHWH</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id104.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="6"><U><B>Chapter 6: The  Divine Bestowal of Authority</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id105.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="7"><U><B>Chapter 7: Jesus or Jehovah in the New Testament? </B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id106.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="8"><U><B>Chapter 8: Deliberate Deception</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id107.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="PART 3: CONCLUSION"><U><B>Part 3: Conclusion</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id108.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="SECTION 2: APPENDIX"><U><B>SECTION 2: APPENDIX: ARE MORMONS CHRISTIANS?</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id109.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="SECTION 2: CONCLUSION"><U><B>SECTION 2: CONCLUSION</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id65.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="ABBREVIATIONS"><U><B>ABBREVIATIONS</B></U></A></div> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" height=390 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <IMG SRC="09abcfa0.jpg" border=0 width="188" height="250" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"><IMG SRC="09bb2ce0.jpg" border=0 width="178" height="206" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"><FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><B>Jesus Christ</B></FONT></div> <bR> <div> The most influential person who ever lived, is an enigma to many. Some think he was literally God who became human. Some think he was a great prophet. Some think he was a great Rabbi. Others think he was a delusional charlatan who duped many. The mention of his name brings reverence, ridicule or is merely a phrase of profanity. No one living today is unaffected by this man, even those who've never heard or worship him. Our calendar year is numbered to the year of his birth (2002- which means he was born 2002 years ago). Western society's sense of morality, which has dominated the world and is considered the ideal of humanity derives from him and those who made Christian living as something desirable. </div> <bR> <div> Other religious traditions (such as Islam, Sikhism and Baha'i and many Hindu leaders) pattern their morality and ideals after him (the number of references to Jesus and his teachings in the writings of Islam and Baha'i are the most visible evidences of this). </div> <bR> <div> Even the earlier faiths such as Judaism, Zoroasterianism, Hinduism & Buddhism react to Jesus Christ's teachings and ensure their morality isn't inferior to that which derives from Jesus Christ. His teachings and those who believe in it abolished or greatly reduced slavery, infanticide, child labor, child brides and genocides. His teachings and those who believed in it established </div> <div> charitable and humanitarian organizations and relief agencies, access to education by the masses, voting rights for women, 5-day work-weeks and religious tolerance.</div> <bR> <div> Perhaps the greatest tangible evidence of Jesus Christ's impact on the world is the fact that the most powerful nation that has ever existed on this planet, the United States, restrains its might and hasn't conquered the rest of us just because its sense of morality comes from the teachings of Jesus Christ. Never in the history of mankind have we seen such restraint. Why hasn't this country </div> <div> conquered Canada (where I am), Mexico and all of Latin America, Africa and the rest? Why doesn't a Pax America exist? Why hasn't it enslaved the rest of the world? What other nation unaffected by Jesus Christ's teachings displays such self-control? Why didn't the US turn into a modern version of the Roman, Babylonian, Assyrian or Mongol Empires? In short, what stopped the US from following what all other great powers had done? </div> <bR> <div> There can only be one answer: its sense of morality which ultimately derives from the teachings of Jesus Christ.</div> <bR> <div> Who then is this figure who wields such an amazing influence over the minds and hearts of men? Surprisingly, the only credible source are the writings viewed as "Scripture" by his followers. For all "Christians" it is the Bible, specifically the New Testament portion. For members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, it is also the Bible as well as the "Latter-day </div> <div> Scriptures" which are three additional books, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants and the Pearl of Great Price. </div> <bR> <div> Since the "Scriptures" are the only credible and easily-accessible source for determining who Jesus Christ really is, it isn't unreasonable to examine what it says concerning Jesus Christ. Here's a portion from my book where I itemize what the Scriptures say on the person of Jesus:</div> <bR> <div> [MORMONISM. The Faith of the Twenty-first Century. Volume 1. Edward K. Watson. (Liahona Publications. Copyright © 1998 Edward K. Watson.) pp. 381-382. MORMONISM: Section 2, Conclusion. All rights reserved.]</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B>A Summary of the Being and Status of Christ</B></div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.gif" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> Jesus was with God [Heavenly Father] from all eternity (prior to the creation of the universe).<FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >1</FONT> </div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.gif" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> Jesus has the same nature the Father has (both have the “God” nature), making Jesus “True God” which gives him  equality in nature with the Father.<FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >2</FONT></div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.gif" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> Jesus is the exact replica of Heavenly Father. To see one is to see the other.<FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >3</FONT></div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.gif" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">The pre-existent divine “Christ” <I>became</I> the human “Jesus.” He didn't <I>enter and leave</I> the body of the human “Jesus.” The phrase “Jesus Christ” emphasizes this fact. John's shibboleth that the Gnostic and Docetist opponents couldn't pass was: “Jesus Christ is come in the flesh.” According to John, those who deny this test are “antichrist.”<FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >4</FONT></div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.gif" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Jesus has complete unity with the Father and has interpenetration with the Father.<FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >5</FONT></div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.gif" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> Jesus is inferior to the Father only in the sense of rank and position but is equal to him in nature, similar to the “Chief of Staff” is inferior to the “Commander in Chief” or a colonel is inferior to a general despite being equal in nature. A general isn't a superior being in comparison to a colonel just because he's a general.<FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >6</FONT></div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.gif" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> Jesus created the universe, including this earth under Heavenly Father's direction.<FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >7</FONT></div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.gif" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> Jesus created this earth and was [for the most part] the God whom the Israelites worshiped (YHWH). (See Part 2 & Part 3).</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.gif" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> Jesus abandoned his glory, honor and privileges as God and became human because he was the only being capable of paying the price of the consequences of sin. He “humbled” himself to become human. He was sent to earth by the Father and only needed to became mortal once in order to accomplish his mission.<FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >8</FONT></div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.gif" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Jesus is “True Man.” He needed to become fully human as well as being “God” in order to atone for our sins. He couldn't save us without becoming human. Only a human could redeem humanity.<FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >9</FONT></div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.gif" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> He lived a perfect,  sinless life by his self-discipline and   took upon himself the punishments for all the sins that will ever be committed in the universe. It was an  infinite sacrifice that encompassed all of creation [universe].<FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >10</FONT></div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.gif" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> He died and was resurrected, being transformed from a spirit united to a mortal body subject to decay and death to a spirit being housed within a glorious immortal body.<FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >11</FONT></div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.gif" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> His one sacrifice is superior to all other sacrifices and satisfies the demands of the Law of Justice enabling all to be saved on condition they abide by the terms he asks [complete faith and obedience to him]. Those who abide by his terms fall under the Law of Mercy and are shielded from the full force of the offended law, with Jesus paying the price of all their sins.<FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >12</FONT></div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.gif" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">  Jesus reconciled us back to Heavenly Father and is continually pleading on our behalf, being our Mediator and Intercessor.<FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >13</FONT></div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.gif" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> His resurrection destroyed the grip of death on all living things and  he is the source of immortality. He can never die again and consequently can never become mortal again.<FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >14</FONT></div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.gif" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> He enables his true followers to be transformed into replicas of himself. They are to have  complete unity and interpenetration with him, the Father and the Holy Ghost.<FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >15</FONT> </div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.gif" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> Jesus is exalted to heaven and received his full glory, honor and privileges after his resurrection and after completing his sacrifice.<FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >16</FONT></div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.gif" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">  He is sitting on Heavenly Father's right hand side in heaven awaiting the time of his triumphant return to earth to usher in the millennium.<FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >17</FONT></div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.gif" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> He is our elder brother,  adopted father and our  head.<FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >18</FONT></div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.gif" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> Jesus has dominion over the entire universe. He rules beneath Heavenly Father as King over the entire universe and over all creatures that exist within it.<FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >19</FONT></div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.gif" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> All of life honors Jesus for what he did and for who he is.<FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >20</FONT></div> <bR> <div>      The Bible as a whole teaches  Jehovah was the pre-mortal Jesus Christ. It is also clear that Jesus Christ is also considered to be the  Son of Jehovah in the same sense  Jesus is both God and the  Son of God. We need to give  equal honor to Jesus as we do to the Father (John  5:23). If we view the Father as “God” we must view the Son to be “God” as well.</div> <bR> <div>      Jesus Christ's claims of being God/God's Son/Jehovah (YHWH)/ equal with the Father, were so intolerable that people can only have three possible opinions about him:<FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >21</FONT></div> <bR> <div> #1) Jesus was possessed by a demon or was insane (Mark  3:21-22; John  8:48-52;  10:19-20).</div> <div> #2) Jesus was a blasphemer, liar and deceiver (Matt  9:2-3;  26:64-65; Mark  2:6-7;  14:61-64; Luke  5:20-21; John  7:12;  10:32-33).<FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >22</FONT></div> <div> #3) Jesus was telling the truth. He is “My Lord [YHWH] and my God” (John  20:28; 3 Ne  19:18; D&C  18:33).</div> <bR> <div>      What do you think he was? I believe #3. <B>I acknowledge Jesus before all mankind as </B> <B>Lord and God</B> (Matt  10:32-33; Luke  12:8-9).</div> <bR> <div> [ENDNOTES]:</div> <div> 1.John  1:1-2; Isa  9:6; Mic  5:2; Mosi  3:5-8; Alma  13:9; 3 Ne  9:15; D&C  38:13;  78:16.</div> <div> 2.John  1:1; Phil  2:5-6; Heb  1:3;  2:14-18; 2 Cor  8:9; Gal  4:4; John  17:4-5;  5:17-19; Mosi  3:5-8;  7:27; Alma  42:15; D&C  19:1,4,15-20;  38:1,3.</div> <div> 3.John  1:1;  12:45;  14:9; Heb  1:2-3; 1 Tim  3:16; 2 Cor  4:4; Col  1:15.</div> <div> 4.1 Jn  4:2-3; 2 Jn  1:7 cf. 1 Jn  2:22. John wasn't fighting an imaginary foe. His opponents were the spiritual ancestors of  Gnosticism and  Docetism. Why was it these opponents wouldn't be able to pass the test he made? Why was the question: “Do you acknowledge<I> Jesus Christ is come in the flesh</I>?” the criteria for determining whether a prophet or teacher really was legitimate? If they say “No” they are “<I>antichrist</I>.” In order to determine the significance of John's shibboleth, we must ascertain what his opponents believed in. </div> <div>      The basic premise of Gnosticism was the divine “Christ” is separate from the human “Jesus.” For the Gnostics, the divine “Christ” <I>entered</I> the human “Jesus” at a particular point in his life. Most viewed this as occurring at his baptism while others thought it occurred either at birth or conception. They reasoned humans can't hurt or kill a “God” therefore the divine “Christ” didn't suffer and die on the cross. That being was <I>solely</I> the human “Jesus.” They believed the human “Jesus” was merely a <I>container</I> or <I>vessel</I> that the divine “Christ” inhabited for a time. Another reason for denying the divine “Christ” <I>became</I> human was their belief matter is evil and a holy divine being wouldn't become something as vile and evil as matter. For them, the divine “Christ” didn't become “<I>flesh</I>,” he merely inhabited it. A Gnostic faction denied the reality of the suffering of Jesus on the cross. These are the Docetists and believed what the witnesses saw was an illusion or collective hallucination that came from God. Some were open to the possibility the divine “Christ” may have united with sinful “flesh” but this was only for a temporary period. </div> <div>      The way John wrote the test shows no true Gnostic or Decetist could truthfully answer “Yes” to the query because they would need to abandon three fundamental beliefs: (1) They need to abandon the separation of the human “Jesus” from the divine “Christ.” (2) They need to abandon the ontological separation of the divine “Christ” from material flesh. (3) They need to abandon the temporary linkage of divinity with the material body of Jesus.</div> <div>      Consequently, the implications of acknowledging “Jesus Christ is come in the flesh” means (1) The human “Jesus” and the divine “Christ” are one and the same entity. (2) Jesus, who is “God” became wholly man and really possessed flesh. (3) Jesus will always have his physical body. According to John, to deny this is to be “<I>antichrist</I>.”</div> <div>      The  Baha'i claim that the same “Manifestation of God” that enters into different humans such as Noah, Zoroaster, Moses, Krishna, Buddha, Jesus, Mohammad, the Bab and  Baha'ullah is<I> identical </I>with the Gnostic separation of the divine “Christ” entering the human “Jesus. They make the divine “Christ” <I>enter into</I> the man “Jesus” instead of <I>becoming </I>“Jesus.” This <I>view</I> is explicitly condemned by John as “antichrist!” They actually go one step further than most of the early Gnostics and follow the Gnostic teacher Elchasai (see Hippolytus. <I>Phil.</I> 9:9; 10:25) by advocating a repetitive mortal experience of this “Manifestation of God.” Can the Baha'i's pass John's test when they teach the same thing the Gnostic and Docetist opponents did concerning the divine “Christ” and the man “Jesus” and the temporary fleshy incarnation of the divine “Christ”? What would <I>anyone </I>be who teaches such? </div> <bR> <div> 5.John  10:30;  17:11,22; 3 Ne  11:27; D&C  35:2;  50:43-44;  93:3-5; John  10:38;  13:31-32;  14:7-13,20;  17:21-23; 2 Cor  5:19; 3 Ne  9:15; D&C  93:16-20.</div> <div> 6.John  14:28; 1 Cor  11:3;  15:24-28; Col  1:12-22; D&C  76:107.</div> <div> 7.John  1:3; Rom  11:32-36; 1 Cor  8:6; Col  1:13-17; Eph  3:9; Heb  1:2;  2:10;  11:4; Rev  3:14; Mos  1:33-38;  7:30; 2 Ne  2:14; Mosi  4:9; D&C  45:1;  76:24;  93:10; Mosi  3:5-8;  5:15; 3 Ne  9:15; D&C  45:1-3;  93:10.</div> <div> 8.Phil  2:5-7; Heb  2:14-18; 2 Cor  8:9; John  1:14; Rev  5:5-12; Mosi  3:5-8; Alma  42:15; Heb  2:14-18; John  3:16; Gal  4:4; Rom  8:3,32; Gal  4:4; Rom  1:3-6;  8:3;  6:9-10; Heb  7:27;  9:12,26,28;  10:10; 1 Pet  3:18.</div> <div> 9.1 Jn  4:2-3; 2 Jn  1:7; Heb  2:14-18;  4:15; Rom  8:3; 1 Cor  15:21; Acts  17:31; Col  1:21-22; Heb  10:19-20.</div> <div> 10.Heb  2:10;  5:9;  7:28; 2 Cor  5:15,21; Heb  4:15;  9:14; 1 Pet  2:22; 1 Jn  3:5; D&C  45:4; Heb  7:25; 2 Ne  9:7;  25:16; Alma  34:10,12,14; D&C  76:69.</div> <div> 11.Matt  27:50; Mark  15:37; Luke  23:46; John  19:30; Matt  28:5-9; Mark  16:6-14; Luke  24:5-7,15-16,31,36-48; John  20:14-29; Rom  6:9; 2 Tim  2:8; Rev  1:18; 1 Ne  10:11; 2 Ne  2:8; 3 Ne  11:7-17; Mos  7:62; etc.</div> <div> 12.Mark  10:45; Rom  5:11; Eph  1:7; Col  2:14; Heb  1:3;  2:9;  4:16;  5:9;  9:12,26,28;  10:10,19; 1 Pet  1:18-19;  2:21,24;  3:18; 1 Jn  1:7;  2:2;  3:5; 2 Ne  2:7; Mosi  3:16;  13:28;  14:10;  34:8; Hel  5:9; 3 Ne  4:14; D&C  18:11;  19:16;  38:4;  138:2; Mos  6:54; A of F  3; Heb  7:27;  9:13-14,23;  7:25; Alma  34:15-16;  42:13-31.</div> <div> 13.1 Tim  2:5; Heb  8:6; Rom  5:10; 2 Cor  5:18-21; Eph  2:16; Col  1:20; Heb  2:17;  7:25;  9:24; 1 Jn  2:1; Rom  8:34; 2 Ne  2:9,28; Jac  4:11; Mosi  15:8; D&C  76:69;  107:19.</div> <div> 14.2 Tim  1:10; 1 Cor  15:54-55; Rev  1:18;  Rom  6:9-10;  8:34;  14:9; 2 Cor  5:15; 1 Tim  6:16;  Heb  2:14-18;  7:27;  9:12,26,28;  10:10; 1 Pet  3:18; Mosi  15:23;  16:8; Alma  4:14;   7:12;  11:42;  22:14;  27:28; Morm  7:5;  9:13; Rev 20:13-14;  21:4; cf. Jas  2:26.</div> <div> 15.Rom  8:29; 1 Cor  15:43,48-49; 2 Cor  3:18; Eph  4:11-15,24; Phil  3:20-21; Col  3:10; 1 Jn  2:29-3:3; 3 Ne  28:10; John  17:11,21-23; 1 Cor  6:17;  12:12-14,19-20; 1 Jn  1:3; John  6:56;  14:17-23,28;  17:21-26; Rom  6:3-11; 3 Ne  11:35; D&C  35:2;  93:20-22,27-28; etc.</div> <div> 16.Luke  22:69;  24:26,50-51; John  3:13;  7:39;  12:16,23;  13:1-3,31-32;  16:5,7,28;  17:5; Acts  1:9-11;  2:32-36; Rom  10:6-8; Eph  4:7-11; Phil  2:9-11; 2 Pet  1:17; Alma  5:50; D&C  45:16,43;  93:6;  110:1; JS-H  1:17.</div> <div> 17.Matt  22:44; Mark  12:36; Luke  20:42; Acts  2:33-35;  7:55-56; Col  3:1; Heb  1:13; D&C  49:6;  76:20; Heb  4:14;  10:12; Matt  16:27;  25:31; Acts  1:11; 1 Th  4:16; 2 Thes  2:8; Jude  1:14; Rev  6:17; D&C  29:11;  34:6;  39:20;  64:23; 1 Cor  15:25; Rev  11:15;  20:4,7; 1 Cor  15:23-28; D&C  29:11;  43:29-30;  58:22;  76:63.</div> <div> 18.Acts  3:15;  5:31; Rom  8:29; Col  1:15; Heb  1:6;  2:10-13,17;  12:2; Gal  4:4-7; Eph  1:5; 1 Jn  2:29; Mosi  5:7; 4 Ne  1:17; Morm  9:26; Eth  3:14; Moro  7:19; D&C  39:4; Eph  1:22;  4:15;  5:23; Col  1:18.</div> <div> 19.John  3:31; 1 Cor  15:27; Heb  2:8 [Heb  2:6-8 cf. Ps  8:4-6]; Eph  1:20-22;  4:10; Phil  2:10-11; Rom  8:35-39; Col  1:13-20;  2:10,15; Rom  10:12; Acts  2:36;  10:36; Rom  14:7-9; 1 Pet  3:22; 1 Tim  1:17;  6:15; Mosi  2:19; D&C  58:22;  76:63;  76:108;  128:23;  133:25.</div> <div> 20.Phil  2:8-11; Rev  5:13-14.</div> <div> 21.Despite Jesus rarely explicitly states his divine status, his followers has to get their conceptions from somewhere. The numerous allusions Jesus made and how he acted caused such an uproar that it can't be doubted this was what he was trying to convey. </div> <div> 22.MDB. p. 217.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <A HREF="mailto:ewatson@shaw.ca" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto:ewatson@shaw.ca"><U>e-mail me!</U></A></div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>