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Response to comment [from a Catholic] "[Y]es a person can be saved without a water baptism. [W]hy are you concerned with details like this? [D]o you realize they are not important?"

The Roman Catholic Church officially teaches that people must be baptized in their church to be saved. This is one of their required sacraments. Their teaching is not biblical. We must be born of the Spirit of God (Joh 3:5; Ac 19:2-6).

There are places in the world where water is not available. People still wish to identify publically with Christ so they get baptized in the sand! Baptism is an outward demonstration to an inward faith. It is the first act of obedience for the Christian.

Response to comment [from a Catholic]: "The Catholic Church teaches that "Baptism is necessary for salvation for those to whom the Gospel has been proclaimed and who have had the possibility of asking for the sacrament." CCC Paragraph 1257. Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. John 3:5."

McGee, J. Vernon: Thru the Bible Commentary. electronic ed. Nashville : Thomas Nelson, 1997, c1981, S. 5:701-702

Response to comment [from a Christian]: "The Mormons would say that why they water baptize for the dead! I think a RC would say the thief would have got baptized if he had a chance, so his motives and heart got him wet. Just my two cent! One love."

We are supposed to be speaking about other false teachers too, so good point. Mormons believe in baptism for the dead.

See:

What is Baptist for the Dead?

Response to comment [from a Christian]: "The Catholic Church is an easy target simply because its evils are well known and has been around for a long time. Protestant Churches are no better - they fall into just as many theological errors. They too have been known to kill others for difference in theology."

Christians do not kill each other over theological differences. Rather, they die to self. Both Catholics and Protestants must repent today. However, historically it is Christians who have died for the word of God. You must have confused William Tyndale-- who was strangled and burned at the stake for heresy trying to get the word of God out--with someone else.

See:

Protestant Martyrs

Reformation Time Line

What Christianity Has Done for the World

Response to comment [from Christian]: "...In this situation Jesus has become the truly stronger man who has bound up the owner of the house (i.e. death in hates) and is now plundering the owner's house, bringing out the captives in his train."

The ark was a picture of salvation. When we are in Christ, we are saved.

3:17–22 Rremain in Christ's Ark of Redemption

Peter presented the supreme example of undeserved suffering: the crucifixion of Christ. Jesus suffered death on the cross for the sins others had committed. In similar fashion, the suffering of the innocent could be God’s will.

In 3:18 Peter reminded the believers of the suffering of Christ and what it accomplished. Christ’s death for sins constituted a substitutionary judgment on behalf of sinners. His death prepared the way for the reconciliation of sinners with God (“bring us safely home to God,” cf. 2 Cor. 5:18). But Christ’s death was not a defeat. Having “suffered physical death,” he was “raised to life in the Spirit.” The two participles (“suffered physical death” and “raised to life”) define the main verb “died.” There is a balance and correlation between the two terms “physical” and “Spirit.” Both terms emphasize quality and denote two contrasting modes of Christ’s existence—his earthly sphere of existence as a man (“physical”) and his heavenly sphere of existence as divine Spirit (“Spirit”). The point of 3:18 is that Christ’s death was not a defeat but a triumph. While Christ died to his earthly sphere of existence, by resurrection (“raised to life”) he entered into a fuller life and was liberated for greater ministry (Matt. 28:20; John 14:12).

One interpretive problem in 1 Peter concerns the identity of the “spirits in prison” (3:19), the location of this prison, and when Christ preached to them. There are several different viewpoints with regard to “the spirits in prison” and when Christ “preached” to them:

(1) The earliest view identifies the “spirits in prison” with the fallen angels (“sons of God”) in Genesis 6 (cf. 2 Pet. 2:4; Jude 1:6). But it is difficult to scripturally support the idea of the gospel being brought to demons.

(2) Some understand the “spirits in prison” to be unbelievers to whom the gospel was preached by Christ through the apostles after Pentecost. But this view fails to explain the reference to Noah.

(3) Others understand the “spirits in prison” to refer to those of Noah’s day who are now dead and awaiting the final judgment. According to this viewpoint, Christ descended to hell between his death and resurrection. His preaching is viewed as being either condemnatory, no hope, or conciliatory, offering the antediluvians a second chance for salvation. However, there is no evidence in Scripture that anyone is offered a “second chance” after death (cf. Heb. 9:27). And why would Peter exclusively single out the people who lived before the flood to be the recipients of this pre-resurrection ministry of Jesus? The viewpoint is quite complex and requires a great deal of hypothesis and speculation.

(4) A view that can be traced as far back as Augustine holds that 3:19–20 refers to the preincarnate preaching of Christ through Noah (cf. 1:11 for the Spirit of Christ working within the Old Testament prophets). The preaching was accomplished by Christ’s divine Spirit, the immaterial aspect of his person. The “spirits in prison” were the souls of those who heard the message, rejected it, and now find themselves in judgment. This view eliminates references to the obscure “doctrine” of Christ’s descent into hell and the question of what his “preaching” might have accomplished there. It also has the advantage of clarity and simplicity.

But the point of the illustration in 3:19–20 is that Christ’s past spiritual ministry in the Old Testament was resumed at his death. Christ’s death was a victory, not a defeat. While death ended the physical, earthly dimension of his life and ministry, it inaugurated once again, and in a new and better way, his ministry as divine Spirit.

The ark built by Noah (3:20) is a symbol of the resurrection. It is the means of bringing people to God (3:18). The people in the ark were brought safely through the water (3:20). In a similar way, believers are brought safely to God through the cross. Water baptism and all it symbolizes is the picture of the believer coming to God through Christ. Like Noah, the people Peter was addressing had responded to God’s message and were trusting Christ to bring them to God. The implication is that believers are not to jump out but wait patiently in their ark of Christ’s cross through the storms of life. Believers are not to jump out of the ark to fight or retreat back into the world’s ways."

Hughes, Robert B. ; Laney, J. Carl ; Hughes, Robert B.: Tyndale Concise Bible Commentary. Wheaton, Ill. : Tyndale House Publishers, 2001 (The Tyndale Reference Library), S. 691

3:20 disobedient … in the days of Noah. "Peter further explains that the abyss is inhabited by bound demons who have been there since the time of Noah, and who were sent there because they severely overstepped the bounds of God’s tolerance with their wickedness. The demons of Noah’s day were running riot through the earth, filling the world with their wicked, vile, anti-God activity, including sexual sin, so that even 120 years of Noah’s preaching, while the ark was being built, could not convince any of the human race beyond the 8 people in Noah’s family to believe in God (see notes on 2 Pet. 2:4,5; Jude 6,7; cf. Gen. 6:1–8). Thus God bound these demons permanently in the abyss until their final sentencing. saved through water. They had been rescued in spite of the water not because of the water. Here, water was the agent of God’s judgment not the means of salvation (see note on Acts 2:38)."

MacArthur, John Jr: The MacArthur Study Bible. electronic ed. Nashville : Word Pub., 1997, c1997, S. 1 Pe 3:20

Response to comment [from a "Christain"]: "It is an opinion that God exists in three persons, a model developed to explain the unique relationship between the Father and Son..."

The doctrine of the trinity is clearly taught in scripture.

See:

Is the Trinity True?

"...The Bible never says God is three persons, and Jesus only ever identifies himself as God's Son."

Jesus said: "I and My Father are one (Jn 10:30)."

The divinity of Jesus: As Jehovah, Isa. 40:3, with Matt. 3:3; Jehovah of glory, Psa. 24:7, 10, with 1 Cor. 2:8; Jas. 2:1; Jehovah our righteousness, Jer. 23:5, 6, with 1 Cor. 1:30; Jehovah above all, Psa. 97:9, with John 3:31; Jehovah the first and the last, Isa. 44:6, with Rev. 1:17; Isa. 48:12–16, with Rev. 22:13; Jehovah’s fellow and equal, Zech. 13:7; Phil. 2:6; Jehovah of Armies, Isa. 6:1–3, with John 12:41; Isa. 8:13, 14, with 1 Pet. 2:8; Jehovah, Psa. 110:1, with Matt. 22:42–45; Jehovah the shepherd, Isa. 40:10, 11; Heb. 13:20; Jehovah, for whose glory all things were created, Prov. 16:4, with Col. 1:16; Jehovah the messenger of the covenant, Mal. 3:1, with Luke 7:27. Invoked as Jehovah, Joel 2:32, with 1 Cor. 1:2; as the eternal God and Creator, Psa. 102:24–27, with Heb. 1:8, 10–12; the mighty God, Isa. 9:6; the great God and Savior, Hos. 1:7, with Tit. 2:13; God over al, Rom. 9:5; God the Judge, Eccl. 12:14, with 1 Cor. 4:5; 2 Cor. 5:10; 2 Tim. 4:1; Emmanuel, Isa. 7:14, with Matt. 1:23; King of kings and Lord of lords, Dan. 10:17, with Rev. 1:5; 17:14; the Holy One, 1 Sam. 2:2, with Acts 3:14; the Lord from heaven, 1 Cor. 15:47; Lord of the sabbath, Gen. 2:3, with Matt. 12:8; Lord of all, Acts 10:36; Rom. 10:11–13; Son of God, Matt. 26:63–67; the only begotten Son of the Father, John 1:14, 18; 3:16, 18; 1 John 4:9. His blood is called the blood of God, Acts 20:28. One with the Father, John 10:30, 38; 12:45; 14:7–10; 17:10. As sending the Spirit equally with the Father, John 14:16, with John 15:26. As unsearchable equally with the Father, Prov. 30:4; Matt. 11:27. As Creator of all things, Isa. 40:28; John 1:3; Col. 1:16; supporter and preserver of all things, Neh. 9:6, with Col. 1:17; Heb. 1:3. Acknowledged by Old Testament saints, Gen. 17:1, with Gen. 48:15, 16; 32:24–30, with Hos. 12:3–5; Judg. 6:22–24; 13:21, 22; Job 19:25–27.

"...Jesus is the mediator between God and men."

That is true (1 Ti 2:5).

Response to comment [from a "Christian"]: "The Father certainly isn't A personage of God."

Jesus said "We are One." (Jn 17:22). Yet:

Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he which is of God, he hath seen the Father.

Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life [John 6:46–47].

"The One who has seen the Father is the Lord Jesus Christ. “He who believes on Me has everlasting life.” It can’t be said any more clearly."

McGee, J. Vernon: Thru the Bible Commentary. electronic ed. Nashville : Thomas Nelson, 1997, c1981, S. 4:406-407

"...the only personage of God - 'The Father' and 'God' are used interchangeably by the writers of the Bible."And the writers of scripture wrote under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit (the third member of the trinity). "For prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit (2 Pe 1:20-21)." "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness (2 Ti 3:16)."

Had the church never enumerated the doctrine of the trinity, it would not make it false. "In the beginning God (Elohim)..." (Ge 1:1). God existed. He created. Then, truth was revealed ever unfolding. The Holy Spirit guides men into all truth and understanding (Joh 16:13). Had the Father never chosen to reveal to man--the Son or the Holy Spirit, he could have kept it hidden. Still, the godhead has been, is, always will be (Ro 16:26; Re 22:13; Heb 9:14). Jesus said: "Before Abraham was, I am..." (Jn 8:58).

"Do you believe that all doctrines approved by the Catholic Church are absolutely correct then?"

No. The Roman Catholic Church is corrupt (2 Ti 3:5).

[Pr 8:22] "I flipped between a few translations and it looks like half of them interpret it as the Lord having possessed him, while the others say he created him as his first work. There's that old bias in translating at work..."The LORD brought me forth as the first of his works, before his deeds of old (Pr 8:22, NIV)."

If you believe Jesus was created, then you are a cultist. Denying the deity of Jesus puts you in the kingdom of the cults not the kingdom of heaven. Jesus is the preeminent Son of the God--not "a" Son "the" Son of God. Wisdom is one of Jesus' attributes (Jn 3:16).

8:1–36 Wisdom and Creation

"Wisdom is personified and exalted by proclaiming her excellences. She is a guide offered to every person (Prov. 8:1–11) as the key to all success (8:12–21). The careful application of God’s guidelines for living will generally result in a more favorable economic situation, but financial prosperity must always be kept in proper perspective (8:19).

Wisdom’s eternal character is shown in 8:22–31 and ultimately points to Christ, in whom is found “all the treasures of wisdom” (Col. 2:3; cf. Phil. 2:3–11; 1 Cor. 1:24; Jer. 9:23–24). Christ, who is wisdom incarnate, is the ultimate wise man. Wisdom is pictured as an architect at God’s side at creation (8:30). “Listen” (8:32) means to both hear and obey."

Hughes, Robert B. ; Laney, J. Carl ; Hughes, Robert B.: Tyndale Concise Bible Commentary. Wheaton, Ill. : Tyndale House Publishers, 2001 (The Tyndale Reference Library), S. 233

8:17 love. Wisdom’s love for the one who receives it is proven by the benefits mentioned in vv. 18–21.

8:18–21 Riches and honor. Cf. 3:16; 22:4. Solomon, who was given great wisdom, experienced its wealth of benefits firsthand as a young king (cf. 1 Kin. 3:12–14; 10:14–29).

8:22–31 The Lord possessed me. Cf. 3:19, 20. Wisdom personified claims credit for everything that God created, so that wisdom was first, as God was eternally first. Christ used His eternal wisdom in creation (John 1:1–3; 1 Cor 1:24, 30).

MacArthur, John Jr: The MacArthur Study Bible. electronic ed. Nashville : Word Pub., 1997, c1997, S. Pr 8:17

A. Wisdom creates with God in eternity past (8:22–29): Wisdom is with God during Creation.

B. Wisdom is God’s companion from eternity past (8:30–31): Wisdom is God’s constant delight.

Willmington, H. L.: The Outline Bible. Wheaton, Ill. : Tyndale House Publishers, 1999, S. Pr 8:22-31

God's wisdom:

Exhibited in:

a. His works. Job 37:16; Ps 104:24; 136:5; Pr 3:19; Jer 10:12.

b. His counsels. Isa 28:29; Jer 32:19.

c. His foreshadowing events. Isa 42:9; 46:10.

d. Redemption. 1Co 1:24; Eph 1:8; 3:10.

e. Searching the heart. 1Ch 28:9; Re 2:23.

f. Understanding the thoughts. 1Ch 28:9; Ps 139:2.

Exhibited in knowing:

a. The heart. Ps 44:21; Pr 15:11; Lu 16:15.

b. The actions. Job 34:21; Ps 139:2,3.

c. The words. Ps 139:4.

d. His saints. 2Sa 7:20; 2Ti 2:19.

e. The way of saints. Job 23:10; Ps 1:6.

f. The want of saints. De 2:7; Mt 6:8.

g. The afflictions of saints. Ex 3:7; Ps 142:3.

h. The infirmities of saints. Ps 103:14.

i. The minutest matters. Mt 10:29,30.

j. The most secret things. Mt 6:18.

k. The time of judgment. Mt 24:36.

l. The wicked. Ne 9:10; Job 11:11.

m. The works, &c of the wicked. Isa 66:18.

The wicked question God's wisdom (Ps 73:11; Isa 47:10).

"Christ is the Logos of God."

Unfortunately, you pour an incorrect meaning into John 1:1. Jesus is the Word (Jn 1:1). As Hank Hanagraaph says: "Jesus spoke and the universe leapt into existence."

"Begotten implies having a beginning - to beget is to produce [offspring]...Furthermore, "Word" is a horrible translation of Logos. A better translation would be Idea/Reason/Logic/Plan. Those who haven't studied Greek can't appreciate the word logos and its connotations...In the beginning was the idea/plan [for salvation], the idea/plan was with God, the idea/plan was divine (or had the attributes of God)."

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God [John 1:1].

The Gospel of John introduces the Lord Jesus Christ with three tremendous statements:

“In the beginning was the Word,”

“And the Word was with God,”

“And the Word was God.”

“The Word” is one of the highest and most profound titles of the Lord Jesus Christ. To determine the exact meaning is not easy. Obviously the Lord Jesus Christ is not the logos of Greek philosophy; rather He is the memra of the Hebrew Scriptures. Notice how important the Word is in the Old Testament. For instance, the name for Jehovah was never pronounced. It was such a holy word that they never used it at all. But this is the One who is the Word and, gathering up everything that was said of Him in the Old Testament, He is now presented as the One “In the beginning.” This beginning antedates the very first words in the Bible, “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” That beginning can be dated, although I do not believe that anyone can date it accurately—it is nonsense to say that it is 4004 b.c., as Ussher’s dating has it. It probably goes back billions and billions of years. You see, you and I are dealing with the God of eternity. When you go back to creation He is already there, and that is exactly the way this is used—“in the beginning was the Word.” Notice it is not is the Word; it was not in the beginning that the Word started out or was begotten. Was (as Dr. Lenske points out) is known as a durative imperfect, meaning continued action. It means that the Word was in the beginning. What beginning? Just as far back as you want to go. The Bible says, “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth” (Gen. 1:1). Does that begin God? No, just keep on going back billions and trillions and “squillions” of years. I can think back to billions of years back of creation—maybe you can go beyond that—but let’s put down a point there, billions of years back of creation. He already was; He comes out of eternity to meet us. He did not begin. “In the beginning was the Word”—He was already there when the beginning was. “Well,” somebody says, “there has to be a beginning somewhere.” All right, wherever you begin, He is there to meet you, He is already past tense. “In the beginning was the Word”—five words in the original language, and there is not a man on topside of this earth who can put a date on it or understand it or fathom it. This first tremendous statement starts us off in space, you see.

The second statement is this, “and the Word was with God.” This makes it abundantly clear that He is separate and distinct from God the Father. You cannot identify Him as God the Father because He is with God. “But,” someone says, “if He is with God, He is not God.” The third statement sets us straight, “and the Word was God.” This is a clear, emphatic declaration that the Lord Jesus Christ is God. In fact, the Greek is more specific than this, because in the Greek language the important word is placed at the beginning of the sentence and it reads, “God was the Word.” That is emphatic; you cannot get it more emphatic than that. Do you want to get rid of the deity of Christ? My friend, you cannot get rid of it. The first three statements in John’s gospel tie the thing down. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

Let’s move on down to verse 14 and notice the three statements there.

McGee, J. Vernon: Thru the Bible Commentary. electronic ed. Nashville : Thomas Nelson, 1997, c1981, S. 4:369

"Your insistance that it is doesn't make it so, neither does constantly linking to resources. If you want to debate the trinity I'll be happy to, but your going to need to debate for yourself instead of simply posting link after link of useless information. Also, posting scripture on the matter is useless unless accompanied by exegesis."

You are not a Christian, denying the deity of Jesus. Why do you label yourself as such? "Over 4000 post club"! You can post 4000 more comments and it will not change the historical, biblical faith of Christianity-- and the doctrine of the trinity (God is exists in three persons: The Father, The Son and the Holy Spirit). Posting scripture refutes your false teaching. Christ died. He was buried. He rose again. He has made a way for you to be reconciled to him by his death on the cross. If you humble yourself before him, he will save you. If you are interested in truth and righteousness he will make himself known to you (Mt 6:33).

John 1:1:

"All four Gospels begin by placing Jesus within a historical setting, but the Gospel of John is unique in the way it opens. The Book of Matthew begins with the genealogy of Jesus that connects Him to David and Abraham. Mark starts with the preaching of John the Baptist. Luke has a dedication of his work to Theophilus and follows that with a prediction of the birth of John the Baptist. But John begins with a theological prologue. It is almost as if John had said, “I want you to consider Jesus in His teaching and deeds. But you will not understand the good news of Jesus in its fullest sense unless you view Him from this point of view. Jesus is God manifest in the flesh, and His words and deeds are those of the God-Man.”

The prologue contains many of the major themes of the Gospel which are later reintroduced and developed more fully. The key terms include “life” (v. 4), “light” (v. 4), “darkness” (v. 5), “witness” (v. 7), “true” (v. 9), “world” (v. 9), “Son” (v. 14), “Father” (v. 14), “glory” (v. 14), “truth” (v. 14). Two other key theological terms are “the Word” (v. 1) and “grace” (v. 14), but these important words are used in John only in this theological introduction. “Word” (Logos) does occur elsewhere in the Gospel but not as a Christological title.

A. The Logos in eternity and time (1:1-5).

1:1. As far back as man can think, in the beginning . . . the Word was existing. The term “Word” is the common Greek word logos, which meant “speaking, a message, or words.” “Logos” was widely used in Greek philosophical teaching as well as in Jewish wisdom literature and philosophy. John chose this term because it was familiar to his readers, but he invested it with his own meaning, which becomes evident in the prologue.

The Word was with God in a special relationship of eternal fellowship in the Trinity. The word “with” translates the Greek pros, which here suggests “in company with” (cf. the same use of pros in 1:2; 1 Thes. 3:4; 1 John 1:2). John then added that the Word was God. Jehovah’s Witnesses translate this clause, “The Word was a god.” This is incorrect and logically is polytheism. Others have translated it “the Word was divine,” but this is ambiguous and could lead to a faulty view of Jesus. If this verse is correctly understood, it helps clarify the doctrine of the Trinity. The Word is eternal; the Word is in relationship to God (the Father); and the Word is God.

1:2. The Word has always been in a relationship with God the Father. Christ did not at some point in time come into existence or begin a relationship with the Father. In eternity past the Father (God) and the Son (the Word) have always been in a loving communion with each other. Both Father and Son are God, yet there are not two Gods.

1:3. Why is there something rather than nothing? That is a great question in philosophy. The Christian answer is God. He is eternal, and He is the Creator of all things. And the Word was the agent of Creation (cf. 1 Cor. 8:6; Col. 1:16; Heb. 1:2). All Creation was made by the Word in relation with the Father and the Spirit. John stressed the work of the Word. He came to reveal the Father (John 1:14, 18); and the work of revelation began in Creation for Creation reveals God (Ps. 19:1-6; Rom. 1:19-20).

1:4. Life is man’s most important asset. To lose life is tragic. John affirmed that in the ultimate sense, life is in Christ. Man’s spiritual and physical life come from Him. (For John’s teaching on life, cf. 5:26; 6:57; 10:10; 11:25; 14:6; 17:3; 20:31.) Jesus, the Source of “life” (cf. 11:25), is also the light of men (cf. 8:12). Light is commonly used in the Bible as an emblem of God; darkness is commonly used to denote death, ignorance, sin, and separation from God. Isaiah described the coming of salvation as the people living in darkness seeing a great light (Isa. 9:2; cf. Matt. 4:16).

1:5. Light’s nature is to shine and dispel darkness. Darkness is almost personified in this verse: darkness is unable to overpower light. By this, John summarized his Gospel record: (a) Light will invade the dominion of darkness. (b) Satan the ruler and his subjects will resist the light, but they will be unable to frustrate its power. (c) The Word will be victorious in spite of opposition."

v. verse

cf. confer, compare

Walvoord, John F. ; Zuck, Roy B. ; Dallas Theological Seminary: The Bible Knowledge Commentary : An Exposition of the Scriptures. Wheaton, IL : Victor Books, 1983-c1985, S. 2:271

Response to comment [from a "Christian"]: "Find me a verse that says you must believe that Christ is God or that God is of a triune nature to be saved - find a single one - and I will submit that the trinity is correct."

Believing in Jesus is not a mere acknowledgement of his existence, there is an element of trust in who he is (Jn 20:31). If you do not believe that Jesus is who he said he is, then your faith does not rest on something genuine. "It is through believing that you receive life and are born again. You become a child of God through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ (J. Vernon McGee)."

"The above that I underlined is part of the gospel, the rest is opinion."

You did not underline the rest of the statement: "...If you are interested in truth and righteousness he will make himself known to you (Mt 6:33)." "Seek ye first..."--not second, not third--"first". Are you interested in truth and righteousness? You may believe the facts--good, even the demons believe that and they shudder (Jas 2:19). But the demons are going to hell. Intellectual ascension to Jesus will not get a person to heaven. God wants all of your heart, soul and mind (Mt 22:37). He gives truth to men who want it and want to turn from their sin. Jesus is truth incarnate. He is willing to give you the deposit of his indwelling spirit to guide you into all truth (2 Cor 1:22).

All cults and 'isms stumble at Jn 1:1. It is the difference between heaven and hell. Failing to understand God (Mt 7:23), is all it takes to go to hell. We need to know him. Richard Dawkins fails to know God. He said "If there is a God, it's going to be a whole lot bigger and a whole lot more incomprehensible than anything that any theologian of any religion has ever proposed." He's right. God is bigger. He came out of time and eternity to save mankind. Many Catholics fail to know God. They think that they can call Jesus down from heaven, contain him in a wafer, and sacrifice him all over again. Mormons say he is the spirit brother of Lucifer. Jehovah's Witnesses say Jesus is the archangel Michael.

Read Revelation 19 and see if Jesus is not larger than life. God has given us all that we need to know him by his word. He is the Word made flesh (Jn 1:14). It is for us to find out exactly who he is. There are no excuses (Lk 16:31).

Response to comment [from a "Christian"]: "Christ denied that he was claiming to be God, and instead claimed to be God's Son. John 10:30-36."

Absolutely false.

My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.

I and my Father are one [John 10:27–30].

"His sheep hear His voice. And they follow Him. The brand of ownership on the sheep is obedience. Do you want to know whether a person is saved or not? Then see if he is obeying Christ. Our ears must be open to His voice. “The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the Lord hath made even both of them” (Prov. 20:12).

“I know them.” I’m glad somebody knows me, aren’t you? I am sometimes misunderstood, and I have to explain myself to people. However, I never need to explain anything to Him. He knows when I’m putting up an excuse; He knows when I am evading an issue; He understands me. He knows.

“And they follow me.” I believe in the eternal security of the believer and in the insecurity of the make-believer. “They follow me”—it’s just that simple. If the shepherd called his sheep one morning and started up the hill, and out of five hundred sheep in the sheepfold, one hundred came out and followed him, then I would conclude that those one hundred were his sheep. And I would also conclude that the other four hundred were not his sheep.

“And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish.” Friend, when He gives to them eternal life, that means they don’t earn it and they don’t work for it. He gives it to them. Note that it is eternal life. It is forever. If it plays out in a week, or in a year, or until they sin, then it is not eternal life after all. They are not really His sheep if the life does not last forever. The sheep may be in danger, but the Shepherd will protect them. They may be scattered, but He will gather them up again. They shall never perish. May they backslide? Yes. Will they perish? No. The sheep may get into a pigpen, but there has never yet been a sheep in a pigpen that stayed in the pigpen. Sheep and pigs do not live together. The sheep is always a sheep. No man can pluck that sheep out of the Savior’s hand. No enemy, no man, no created being can pluck them out of His hand. This is wonderful! One time a fellow gave me the argument that one can jump out of His hand because we are free moral agents. Listen to the passage. It actually says “no created thing shall pluck them out of my hand.” He is the Shepherd. He is God. If you think you can jump out, the Father puts His hand right down on you, and you can’t do any jumping. Brother, He’s got you and you can’t get loose. Both hands are the hands of Deity. No created thing can take the sheep out of His hand.

Years ago a Texas rancher told me about sheep. He said he had two thousand sheep, and someone had to be watching them all the time. If two little sheep go over the hill and get half a mile from the flock, they are lost. They cannot find their way back by themselves. The only way in the world they can be safe is for the shepherd to be there. If a wolf would come up and eat one of the little sheep, you’d think the other one would be smart enough to say, “He ate my little brother; so I’ll go back over the hill and join the flock.” No, he doesn’t know where to go. All he does is go “Baa” and run around and wait to be dessert for the wolf. A sheep is stupid. Neither has a sheep any way to defend himself. A sheep can’t even outrun his enemy. If a sheep is safe, it is not because the sheep is clever or smart. It is because he has a good shepherd.

When I say to you that He gives me eternal life and I shall never perish, you may accuse me of bragging. No, my friend, I am not bragging on myself; I’m bragging about my Shepherd. I have a wonderful Shepherd. He won’t lose any of His sheep. If He starts with one hundred, He will not end with ninety-nine. If one gets lost, He will go out and find it. None will be lost.

Then He says that He and the Father are one. He claims to be God."

Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him.

Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me?

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 10:31–33].

"There is one thing that is sure: in that day, those who heard Him understood that He made Himself God. He produced His credentials. There was no way they could deny His miracles. He healed people by the thousands, and there was no denying the evidence. They accused Him of blasphemy. They accused Him of calling Himself God. And do you know, that is exactly what He was doing!"

Jesus answered them. Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?

If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken;

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?

If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not.

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 10:34–38].

"Their accusation was that He as a man makes Himself God. He quotes to them Psalm 82:6, “I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High.” Men are called to be the children of God, but Jesus is unique because He is the Man “whom the Father hath sanctified.” He is the One who has been set apart. He is different from any other man in the world. He has been sent on a mission to the world. He is in the Father and the Father is in Him."

McGee, J. Vernon: Thru the Bible Commentary. electronic ed. Nashville : Thomas Nelson, 1997, c1981, S. 4:433-435

"Christ and the scriptures demand that we accept him as the Son of God, as Lord, as Savior."

Only the Jesus of the Bible saves (Mk 8:27).

"[W]e must believe that he was sent by God to die for our sins..."

You must believe he is who he said he is to be saved. You must know him (John 1:1–18).

"...persevering in the study of the scriptures, and allowing the Holy Spirit to guide you to truth..."

A Christian with the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit is guided into all truth (Jn 16:13). The Holy Spirit points to Jesus (Joh 16:14).

"John 1:1, those who study Greek realize that there are many ways to interpret it besides 'In the beginning was the Word, the Word was with God, and the Word was God.'"

There is one way to understand the truth of the deity of Jesus Christ.

"[D]on't act like its all cut and dry when you haven't studied the matter."

I do not have to study every cult and 'ism to know--if you deny the deity of Jesus, it will not end well for you (1 Jn 2:22).