Jesus is a universal message

For me Jesus is a universal message (our heart).

The true God did not create religion (humans did).

I did my best to explain this as simple as possible because the truth is also simple.

We are all a part of the universe, and we are all one.

I am not religious, but I am spiritual, and Jesus was/is a universal message of truth and love.

And if you understand the message by instinct then you are awake.




So, who is Jesus to you?


Again, for me Jesus is all of us when we are awake.

I think maybe our ancestors 100,000 years ago had a closer relationship with the Creator than any people after the creation of organized religion.

You can embrace just one religion and let it tell you what to believe, or you can educate yourself on all religions and belief systems. The latter will take you down a road where appears to have been a co-opting of belifes to create a dominant religion as a means of control.

If Christianity was really about salvation I don't think we would have trashed our world in the name of progress, power and the almighty dollar.

I think each and every one of us have a connection to our Creator and can develop a personal relationship with Him, but don't tell your pastor/priest/guru etc. or they'll tell you you're communicating with demons.

Ok I think for sure Universal is accurate.

For those who just don't believe in spirits, I suggest not reading further, it might not make any sense.

 
Nugget, On the overnight show Coast to Coast with Art Bell, Father Malichi Martin who was both a leading Exorcist and an advisor to Pope John Paul, used to share ways to tell a spirit's intent. "If a spirit will not declare Jesus as the son of the Living God", you will have your answer as to where it originates. The acts committed by such an agent will never be sinister ever was another comment I remember. If anything sinister happens, it would be time to drop communication permanently.

a reply to: PrivateAngel

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
...John 1:14

originally posted by: PrivateAngel
The true God did not create religion (humans did).

Jesus created a church.
He gave it His full authority on Earth.
It exists to this day.

Matthew 16:18-19

And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the powers of death shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven

To me Jesus is a great Brother.

Amongst the greatest.

A fitting King.


Alas, we crucified him.

My interpretation of what jesus is is that he became a messiah after spending forty days in the wilderness where he learned god is in everything...before that he was just a man with the ability to communicate with nature. Where was Jesus's church that he taught people in?

Religion is religion, a creation of man. God created everything, it is what god is that interests me, I believe in the entity they refer to as god already. The local presence of god on this ball flying through space that supports our life is what is important to me. The collective consciousness of all living things here powers this entity which is a tiny part of god. Every microbe and every plant and animal, even bugs and fungus are part of this consciousness, one we are told to ignore so that man can prosper.

Jesus was a spokesman for this supreme consciousness, he connected to it and the power generated by it if harnessed could do a lot. Just think if you had an infection and the microbes were instructed to help you instead of hinder you by this consciousness that is part of what we call god. Jesus could have had some connections to make this happen. And we could be instructed to heal very fast too by the instructions given by god...so fast it could be considered a miracle. Cancer could be instructed to just die if this was the case, so it is possible that miracles happen and sometimes we do not even know they are happening.

I will never discount anything because consensus of the time says it is not possible, I try to leave my mind open to possibilities of things we do not yet know.

a reply to: PrivateAngel

Catholic school kid, Protestant mom, Catholic dad, GGG father was a Methodist Evangelist in 1850 Texas.

I embrace all faiths. Ir organized religion that's whacked!

Hey! By us on the same road is the Freewill Baptist next to the Gilead Baptist across from Mr.Zion Baptist and Temple Baptist! See? Organized religions. Humph!

Jesus Saved me...but God...is God. By many names.

God bless you eh?!😎☝️

Scholars have a solid basis for believing that Jesus existed. Regarding the references made by first- and second-century historians to Jesus and the early Christians, the Encyclopædia Britannica, 2002 Edition, says: “These independent accounts prove that in ancient times even the opponents of Christianity never doubted the historicity of Jesus, which was disputed for the first time and on inadequate grounds at the end of the 18th, during the 19th, and at the beginning of the 20th centuries.”

In 2006, the book Jesus and Archaeology said: “No reputable scholar today questions that a Jew named Jesus son of Joseph lived; most readily admit that we now know a considerable amount about his actions and his basic teachings.”

The Bible portrays Jesus as a real person. It provides the names of his ancestors and immediate family. (Matthew 1:1; 13:55) It also gives the names of prominent rulers who were contemporaries of Jesus. (Luke 3:1, 2) Those details allow researchers to verify the accuracy of the Bible accounts.

He was neither rich nor powerful. He did not even have a home that he could call his own. Yet his teachings have influenced millions. Did Jesus Christ really exist? What do both modern and ancient authorities say?

Michael Grant, a historian and an expert on ancient classical civilization, noted: “If we apply to the New Testament, as we should, the same sort of criteria as we should apply to other ancient writings containing historical material, we can no more reject Jesus’ existence than we can reject the existence of a mass of pagan personages whose reality as historical figures is never questioned.”

Rudolf Bultmann, a professor of New Testament studies, stated: “The doubt as to whether Jesus really existed is unfounded and not worth refutation. No sane person can doubt that Jesus stands as founder behind the historical movement whose first distinct stage is represented by the oldest Palestinian community [of Christians].”

Will Durant, a historian, writer, and philosopher, wrote: “That a few simple men [the Gospel writers] should in one generation have invented so powerful and appealing a personality, so lofty an ethic and so inspiring a vision of human brotherhood, would be a miracle far more incredible than any recorded in the Gospels.”

Albert Einstein, a German-born Jewish physicist, asserted: “I am a Jew, but I am enthralled by the luminous figure of the Nazarene.” When asked if he viewed Jesus as a historical person, he responded: “Unquestionably! No one can read the Gospels without feeling the actual presence of Jesus. His personality pulsates in every word. No myth is filled with such life.”

The most detailed record of Jesus’ life and ministry is recorded in the Bible accounts known as the Gospels​—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John​—named after the men who wrote them. In addition, a number of early non-Christian sources name him.

TACITUS

(c. 56-120 C.E., or Common Era) Tacitus is considered to be one of the greatest of the ancient Roman historians. His Annals deal with the Roman Empire from 14 C.E. to 68 C.E. (Jesus died in 33 C.E.) Tacitus wrote that when a great fire devastated Rome in 64 C.E., Emperor Nero was considered responsible. But Tacitus wrote that Nero accused the Christians in order to “scotch the rumour.” Then Tacitus said: “Christus, the founder of the name [Christian], had undergone the death penalty in the reign of Tiberius, by sentence of the procurator Pontius Pilatus.”​—Annals, XV, 44.

SUETONIUS

(c. 69–a. 122 C.E.) In his Lives of the Caesars, this Roman historian recorded events during the reigns of the first 11 Roman emperors. The section on Claudius refers to turmoil among the Jews in Rome that was likely caused by disputes over Jesus. (Acts 18:2) Suetonius wrote: “Since the Jews constantly made disturbances at the instigation of Chrestus [Christus], he [Claudius] expelled them from Rome.” (The Deified Claudius, XXV, 4) Although wrongly accusing Jesus of creating disturbances, Suetonius did not doubt his existence.

PLINY THE YOUNGER

(c. 61-113 C.E.) This Roman author and administrator in Bithynia (modern Turkey) wrote to Roman Emperor Trajan about how to deal with the Christians in that province. Pliny said that he tried to force Christians to recant, executing any who refused to do so. He explained: “Those who . . . repeated after me an invocation to the [pagan] Gods, and offered adoration, with wine and frankincense, to your image . . . and who finally cursed Christ . . . , I thought it proper to discharge.”​—Pliny—​Letters, Book X, XCVI.

FLAVIUS JOSEPHUS

(c. 37-100 C.E.) This Jewish priest and historian states that Annas, a Jewish high priest who continued to wield political influence, “convened the judges of the Sanhedrin [the Jewish high court] and brought before them a man named James, the brother of Jesus who was called the Christ.”​—Jewish Antiquities, XX, 200.

THE TALMUD

This collection of Jewish rabbinic writings, dating from the third to the sixth centuries C.E., shows that even Jesus’ enemies affirmed his existence. One passage says that on “the Passover Yeshu [Jesus] the Nazarean was hanged,” which is historically correct. (Babylonian Talmud, Sanhedrin 43a, Munich Codex; see John 19:14-16.) Another states: “May we produce no son or pupil who disgraces himself in public like the Nazarene”​—a title often applied to Jesus.​—Babylonian Talmud, Berakoth 17b, footnote, Munich Codex; see Luke 18:37.

EVIDENCE FROM THE BIBLE

The Gospels give us a comprehensive account of Jesus’ life and ministry, including specific details about people, places, and times​—the hallmarks of authentic history. An example is found at Luke 3:1, 2, which helps us to establish the exact date when a man named John the Baptist, a forerunner of Jesus, commenced his work.

Luke wrote: “In the 15th year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, Herod was district ruler of Galilee, Philip his brother was district ruler of the country of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias was district ruler of Abilene, in the days of chief priest Annas and of Caiaphas, God’s declaration came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness.” This detailed, precise list enables us to establish that “God’s declaration came to John” in the year 29 C.E.

The seven public figures Luke names are well-known to historians. That said, for a time certain critics did question the existence of Pontius Pilate and Lysanias. But the critics spoke too soon. Ancient inscriptions bearing the names of those two officials have been discovered, confirming Luke’s accuracy. (An inscription bearing the name of a tetrarch, or “district ruler,” called Lysanias has been found. (Luke 3:1) He ruled over Abilene at the very time Luke mentioned.)

The question of Jesus’ existence matters because his teachings matter. For example, Jesus taught people how to live happy, fulfilling lives. (A fine example of Jesus’ teachings can be found in Matthew chapters 5 to 7, often called the Sermon on the Mount.) He also promised a time when mankind will live in true peace and security, united under a single world government called “the Kingdom of God.”​—Luke 4:43.

The designation “the Kingdom of God” is appropriate because this world government will express God’s sovereignty over the earth. (Revelation 11:15) Jesus made that fact clear when he said in his model prayer: “Our Father in the heavens, . . . let your Kingdom come. Let your will take place . . . on earth.” (Matthew 6:9, 10) What will Kingdom rule mean for mankind? Consider the following:

• Warfare and civil strife will cease.​—Psalm 46:8-11.
  
• Wickedness, including greed and corruption, will be gone forever, along with ungodly people.—Psalm 37:10, 11.
  
• The Kingdom’s subjects will enjoy meaningful, productive work.​—Isaiah 65:21, 22.
  
• The earth will fully recover from its present sick state and produce bountiful crops.—Psalm 72:16; Isaiah 11:9.
  

Some people may consider those promises wishful thinking. But is it not wishful thinking to trust in human efforts? Consider: Even in spite of spectacular advances in education, science, and technology, millions today feel deeply insecure and uncertain about tomorrow. And daily we see evidence of economic, political, and religious oppression, as well as greed and corruption. Yes, the reality is that human rule is a failure!​—Ecclesiastes 8:9.

At the very least, the question of Jesus’ existence merits our consideration. As 2 Corinthians 1:19, 20 states: “No matter how many the promises of God are, they have become ‘yes’ by means of [Christ].”

No one knows exactly what Jesus looked like, since his physical appearance is not described in the Bible. This indicates that Jesus’ physical features are not important. However, the Bible does give us some idea of Jesus’ general appearance.

Features: Jesus was a Jew and likely inherited common Semitic traits from his mother. (Hebrews 7:​14) It is unlikely that his features were especially distinctive. On one occasion he was able to travel in secret from Galilee to Jerusalem without being recognized. (John 7:​10, 11) And he apparently did not stand out even among his closest disciples. Recall that Judas Iscariot had to identify Jesus to the armed crowd that arrested him.​—Matthew 26:47-​49.

Hair length: It is unlikely that Jesus’ hair was long, because the Bible says that “long hair is a dishonor to a man.”​—1 Corinthians 11:14.

Beard: Jesus wore a beard. He followed Jewish law, which prohibited adult males from ‘disfiguring the edges of their beard.’ (Leviticus 19:27; Galatians 4:4) Also, the Bible mentions Jesus’ beard in a prophecy about his suffering.​—Isaiah 50:6.

Body: All indications are that Jesus was physically robust. During his ministry, he traveled many miles. (Matthew 9:​35) He cleansed the Jewish temple twice, overturning the tables of money changers, and once drove out livestock with a whip. (Luke 19:45, 46; John 2:​14, 15) McClintock and Strong’s Cyclopedia states: “The whole evangelical narrative indicates [Jesus’] sound and vigorous bodily health.”​—Volume IV, page 884.

Facial expressions: Jesus was warm and compassionate, and his facial expressions no doubt reflected this. (Matthew 11:28, 29) People of all sorts sought him out for comfort and help. (Luke 5:​12, 13; 7:​37, 38) Even children felt at ease in his presence.​—Matthew 19:13-​15; Mark 9:​35-​37.

Misconception: Jesus was weak and frail.

Fact: Jesus was manly in his behavior. For example, he boldly identified himself to the armed crowd that came to arrest him. (John 18:​4-8) Jesus must also have been physically strong to have worked as a carpenter using manual tools.​—Mark 6:3.

Why, then, did Jesus need help to carry his torture stake? And why did he die before the others executed with him died? (Luke 23:26; John 19:31-​33) Just prior to Jesus’ execution, his body was seriously weakened. He had been up all night, in part because of emotional agony. (Luke 22:42-​44) During the night the Jews had mistreated him, and the next morning the Romans had tortured him. (Matthew 26:67, 68; John 19:​1-3) Such factors likely hastened his death.

Misconception: Jesus was always somber, melancholy.

Fact: Jesus perfectly reflected the qualities of his heavenly Father, Jehovah, whom the Bible describes as “the happy God.” (1 Timothy 1:​11; John 14:9) In fact, Jesus taught others how to be happy. (Matthew 5:​3-9; Luke 11:28) These facts indicate that Jesus often reflected happiness in his facial expressions.

As mentioned before concerning his physical appearance (under "body"), during his ministry, he traveled many miles. (Matthew 9:​35) Didn't want to use the illustration above twice in my comment.

originally posted by: whereislogic
...

Some people may consider those promises wishful thinking. But is it not wishful thinking to trust in human efforts? Consider: Even in spite of spectacular advances in education, science, and technology, millions today feel deeply insecure and uncertain about tomorrow. And daily we see evidence of economic, political, and religious oppression, as well as greed and corruption. Yes, the reality is that human rule is a failure!​—Ecclesiastes 8:9.

Details regarding the bolded point:

“All this I have seen, and there was an applying of my heart to every work that has been done under the sun, [during] the time that man has dominated man to his injury.” (Eccl. 8:9)

From the article series Human Rule Weighed in the Balances:

Part 1a—Turning a Spotlight on Government
Part 1b​—Do We Really Need Government?
Part 1c​—Human Rule Weighed in the Balances—​Why?
Part 2—Kings, Like Stars, Rise and Fall
Part 3​—Is ‘Government by the Best’ Really the Best?
Part 4​—“We the People”
Part 5​—Unlimited Power—​A Blessing or a Curse?
Part 6​—Blackshirts and Swastikas
Part 7​—A Political Search for Utopia
Part 8​—A Political Mixture of Iron and Moist Clay

Nationalism: a sense of national consciousness exalting one nation above all others and putting the promotion of its culture and interests before those of others; a concept that first became apparent at the end of the 18th century but that has reached its peak in the 20th century.

STAGGERING helplessly from crisis to crisis, human governments are failing to bring stability to human society. According to Zbigniew Brzezinski, national security adviser to former U.S. president Jimmy Carter, the situation will not soon change.

Brzezinski, along with other world leaders, was interviewed by journalist Georgie Anne Geyer while she was preparing an article published in 1985 entitled “Our Disintegrating World.” In it she quoted Brzezinski as having said: “The factors that make for international instability are gaining the historical upper hand over the forces that work for more organized cooperation. The unavoidable conclusion of any detached analysis of global trends is that social turmoil, political unrest, economic crisis, and international friction are likely to become more widespread during the remainder of this century.”

A bleak prediction indeed but not one that surprises Bible students. This very situation was long ago foretold. When? Where?

Upset by a Dream

Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon from 624 to 582 B.C.E., was disturbed by a dream. In it he had seen an immense image with a head of gold, breasts and arms of silver, belly and thighs of copper, legs of iron, and feet and toes of iron mixed with clay. God’s prophet Daniel explained to Nebuchadnezzar the significance of the image, telling him: “You, O king, . . . you yourself are the head of gold. And after you there will rise another kingdom inferior to you; and another kingdom, a third one, of copper, that will rule over the whole earth.” So, obviously, the image had to do with human government.​—Daniel 2:37-39.

Before Daniel’s time, both Egypt and Assyria had oppressed the Israelites, the chosen people of the Bible’s Author. (Exodus 19:5) In the context of the Bible, this made them world powers, in fact, the first of a series of seven of which the Bible speaks. (Revelation 17:10) Then, in Daniel’s day, Babylon overthrew Jerusalem, forcing the Israelites into exile. Thus Babylon became the third of these world powers, aptly referred to in this case as “the head of gold.” The Bible and secular history identify the world powers that were yet to come as being Medo-Persia, Greece, Rome, and, finally, Anglo-America.*

These nations are classed by the Bible as world powers because they had dealings with God’s people and opposed the divine rule these servants of God advocated. Thus, the image seen by Nebuchadnezzar well pictured how human rule would continue to be exercised in opposition to divine sovereignty even after his kingdom ended. The succession of world powers pictured by the various parts of the image started with the head and worked down. Logically, then, the feet and toes would symbolize the final manifestations of human rule that would exist during “the time of the end,” as Daniel expressed it. What, then, should we expect?​—Daniel 2:41, 42; 12:4.

‘Ten Toes’

No longer are God’s servants limited to one nation or one locality, so that they can be oppressed by a single world power. (Acts 1:8; 10:34, 35) As members of all nations, citizens of every type of human government, they zealously announce that the time of the end has begun and that human rule has had its day​—soon to be replaced by divine rule.* Thus, the bold message they proclaim confronts all existing political powers. Appropriately, the number “ten” as used in the Bible signifies completeness as to earthly things. So political human rule in its entirety, unitedly opposed to divine sovereignty during the time of the end, is what the ‘ten toes’ of the image would logically represent.

What was the political situation at the beginning of this foretold period of time? In the year 1800, European nations controlled 35 percent of the earth’s surface, but by 1914 the figure had risen to over 84 percent! The Collins Atlas of World History notes that “on the eve of the 1914 war, it seemed that the division of the world among a number of great powers was almost complete.” In fact, Hugh Brogan, lecturer in history at the University of Essex, England, says it appeared that “before long the whole world would be ruled by half a dozen powers.”

Using ‘ten toes’ to symbolize the totality of world governments that would not literally amount to more than just “half a dozen powers,” however, would hardly seem reasonable. So if, in fulfillment of the prophecy, the ‘ten toes’ were to take on real significance, the political situation existing in 1914 would have to change.

As the 1900’s dawned, the British Empire, the largest the world had ever seen, ruled over every fourth person on earth. Other European empires controlled millions of people more. But World War I resulted in a triumph for nationalism. Paul Kennedy, professor of history at Yale University, explains: “The most striking change in Europe, measured in territorial-juridical terms, was the emergence of a cluster of nation-states​—Poland, Czechoslovakia, Austria, Hungary, Yugoslavia, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania—​in place of lands which were formerly part of the Habsburg, Romanov, and Hohenzollern empires.”

After World War II, this trend accelerated. Nationalism exploded with full force. Particularly after the mid-1950’s, the trend was irreversible. Five centuries of European expansion was ending in the rubble of collapsed colonial empires. The number of nations in Africa, Asia, and the Middle East grew dramatically.

The New Encyclopædia Britannica says that this “development ran counter to the conceptions that had dominated political thought for the preceding 2,000 years.” Whereas “hitherto man had commonly stressed the general and the universal and had regarded unity as the desirable goal,” nationalism now stressed national differences. Instead of uniting, it tended to disunite.

Iron and Moist Clay

Note that the Bible describes the feet and toes of the image as being “partly of iron and partly of molded clay,” adding: “The kingdom itself will prove to be divided, . . . will partly prove to be strong and will partly prove to be fragile . . . , but they will not prove to be sticking together.” (Daniel 2:33, 41-43) This lack of sticking together in unity became apparent as decolonization proceeded, as nationalism flourished, and as the developing countries gained in stature. The globe was rapidly slipping into political fragmentation.

Similar to the uneasy mixture of iron and clay in the feet and toes of the image, some governments have been ironlike​—authoritarian or tyrannical—​and others have been claylike​—more pliable or democratic. Understandably, they have been unable to stick together in a world unity. Pinpointing this in our day, the German book Unsere Welt​—Gestern, Heute, Morgen; 1800-2000 (Our World​—Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow; 1800-2000), says: “By the 19th century, democratic freedom prevailed in nearly all civilized countries, and by the end of World War I, freedom’s cause seemed to have approached final victory. . . . With the revolution in Russia in 1917, dictatorship rose up anew. Since then the 20th century has been characterized by coexistence and confrontation between dictatorship and democracy.”—Italics ours.

People Power

Note also that during the rule of the ‘ten toes,’ the common people, “the offspring of mankind,” would become increasingly involved in government. Do the historical facts support this prediction?​—Daniel 2:43.

Democracy, government by the people, was extremely popular right after World War I, even though during the 1920’s and 1930’s, democratic regimes in different parts of the world were replaced by dictatorships. After World War II, decolonization once again produced a number of new democracies. Later, in the 1960’s and 1970’s, however, many former colonies chose more authoritarian forms of government.

Nevertheless, in the 20th century, the trend has been to replace monarchies and autocratic governments with democracies or governments of the people. “The Year of the People” is how Time magazine described last year’s political upheavals in Eastern Europe. And when the Berlin wall finally fell, the German newsmagazine Der Spiegel emblazoned its front cover with the words “Das Volk siegt”​—the people win!

Long on Talk, Short on Action

In all the Eastern European countries where people power has forced political reform, the demand has been for free elections with a plurality of political parties participating. In their present form, political parties originated in Europe and North America during the 19th century. Since the middle of the 20th century, they have spread throughout the world. Today, they are larger, stronger, and better organized than ever before. By means of them, as well as by means of labor unions, lobbies, environmental groups, and untold other citizen and special-interest groups, people power is now speaking more often and more loudly than ever before.

As the number of people involved in the political process increases, however, so also does the difficulty in achieving a political consensus. Amid a multitude of contending opinions and interests, minority governments often result, stalemated governments long on talk but short on action.

Like iron and moist clay, the entire global political mixture since 1914 has been fragile. Gone, for example, are the days when people appealed to divine guidance in matters of government. “Men in Western civilization have thus been thrown back wholly on themselves, and they find themselves wanting,” concludes The Columbia History of the World.

Room for Optimism?

“Why should all these distinct but related developments have come together in the second half of the 20th century? Why have these threats of world breakdown emerged in precisely the era when man has achieved more scientific breakthroughs and knowledge than in all his previous history?” These questions posed by journalist Geyer are thought provoking. But does anyone have the answers?

Almost ten years ago, The World Book Encyclopedia optimistically noted: “We probably have a greater chance of solving the problems of our times than any previous generation.” But now, a decade later, at the beginning of the 1990’s, is there still room for optimism? ‘Yes,’ you may say, pointing to the end of the Cold War, to the greater cooperation between East and West, and to the substantial progress being made in world disarmament.

The Bible foretold that they would do so. It indicates that during the reign of the seventh world power of Bible history, a contemporaneous eighth power would be specifically set up for the purpose of uniting the nations. (Revelation 17:11) [A so-called "New World Order", the term has been mentioned by US presidents and other political and religious leaders alike, further elaboration of this "New World Order" is discussed in part 3 of the documentary embedded below, as the same term is also used there. The other parts concern the other 7 world powers of Bible prophecy (as found in the books of Daniel and Revelation), well the 7th is discussed in part 3, when it gets to the prophecies in the book of Revelation. The Bible advises: “Do not treat prophecies with contempt. Make sure of all things; hold fast to what is fine.” (1 Thessalonians 5:20,21)] But would it succeed? Part 9 of “Human Rule Weighed in the Balances” will answer.

Part 9—Human Rule Reaches Its Climax!
Part 10​—Perfect Government at Last!

More details concerning Bible prophecy and history (Eccl. 8:9 concerning man dominating man to his injury, is quoted in part 3):
Or in its context: the bible-accurate history reliable prophecy part 1 of 3 (playlist)

So Jesus is not just a "message" (universal or otherwise), he is not everything (as per the philosophies/ideas of pantheism and its derivatives), he is a real person who walked on this earth with an important message from his God and Father (John 20:17), namely the "good news" that God's Kingdom will soon begin its rule on earth (after the end of "this system of things" followed by the beginning of a new system of things, a change in rulership of this world; Matt 24:3-31, Dan 2:44), and that Jesus has been appointed (anointed, "Christ" means "anointed one") by God to be the King of this Kingdom. Some of the benefits this Kingdom will bring to mankind have been mentioned in my previous commentary (and thus why this is "good news"*). A "perfect government" as part 10 of "Human Rule Weighed in the Balances" puts it (see link in my previous comment), with a perfect ruler (King, approved/anointed by God himself, our Creator who knows what is best for us and whose qualities Jesus Christ reflects, which is why Jesus is called "the image of the invisible God" at Col 1:15, which also reminds us that Jesus is "the firstborn of all creation", i.e. the first ever to be created by God, as also confirmed by Prov 8:22-31 and Rev 3:14, the latter text refers to Jesus as "the beginning of the creation by God").

*: The word “gospel” is derived from the old English godspel, which means “good news; good tidings.” In some Bible translations, “gospel” is used to render the Greek word eu·ag·geʹli·on, meaning “good news.” (Mt 4:23; 24:14; Mr 1:14) As used in the Bible, the gospel, or good news, refers to the message about the Kingdom of God and of salvation by faith in Jesus Christ.

Mark’s account begins with the words: “The beginning of the good news about [or, “the gospel of”] Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” Some scholars believe that this may have been the reason why the term “gospel” came to be used to describe all four accounts.

Although none of the Gospel writers identified themselves as such, there is substantial evidence that these books were written by Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John respectively. The first three of these books are sometimes called synoptic (meaning “like view”) because they have a relatively similar approach to documenting what Jesus said and did. However, God allowed each of the four men to write in a way that reflected his individual personality.

A little more about his pre-human existence and the texts earlier referred to (Col 1:15; Rev 3:14; Pr 8:22-31), as well as some things I already mentioned:

Jesus Christ (Insight on the Scriptures)

The name and title of the Son of God from the time of his anointing while on earth.

The name Jesus (Gr., I·e·sousʹ) corresponds to the Hebrew name Jeshua (or, in fuller form, Jehoshua), meaning “Jehovah Is Salvation.” The name itself was not unusual, many men being so named in that period. For this reason persons often added further identification, saying, “Jesus the Nazarene.” (Mr 10:47; Ac 2:22) Christ is from the Greek Khri·stosʹ, the equivalent of the Hebrew Ma·shiʹach (Messiah), and means “Anointed One.” Whereas the expression “anointed one” was properly applied to others before Jesus, such as Moses, Aaron, and David (Heb 11:24-26; Le 4:3; 8:12; 2Sa 22:51), the position, office, or service to which these were anointed only prefigured the superior position, office, and service of Jesus Christ. Jesus is therefore preeminently and uniquely “the Christ, the Son of the living God.”​—Mt 16:16; see CHRIST; MESSIAH.

Prehuman Existence. The person who became known as Jesus Christ did not begin life here on earth. He himself spoke of his prehuman heavenly life. (Joh 3:13; 6:38, 62; 8:23, 42, 58) John 1:1, 2 gives the heavenly name of the one who became Jesus, saying: “In the beginning the Word [Gr., Loʹgos] was, and the Word was with God, and the Word was a god [“was divine,” AT; Mo; or “of divine being,” Böhmer; Stage (both German)]. This one was in the beginning with God.” Since Jehovah is eternal and had no beginning (Ps 90:2; Re 15:3), the Word’s being with God from “the beginning” must here refer to the beginning of Jehovah’s creative works. This is confirmed by other texts identifying Jesus as “the firstborn of all creation,” “the beginning of the creation by God.” (Col 1:15; Re 1:1; 3:14) Thus the Scriptures identify the Word (Jesus in his prehuman existence) as God’s first creation, his firstborn Son.

That Jehovah was truly the Father or Life-Giver to this firstborn Son and, hence, that this Son was actually a creature of God is evident from Jesus’ own statements. He pointed to God as the Source of his life, saying, “I live because of the Father.” According to the context, this meant that his life resulted from or was caused by his Father, even as the gaining of life by dying men would result from their faith in Jesus’ ransom sacrifice.​—Joh 6:56, 57.

If the estimates of modern-day scientists as to the age of the physical universe are anywhere near correct, Jesus’ existence as a spirit creature began thousands of millions of years prior to the creation of the first human. (Compare Mic 5:2.) This firstborn spirit Son was used by his Father in the creation of all other things. (Joh 1:3; Col 1:16, 17) This would include the millions of other spirit sons of Jehovah God’s heavenly family (Da 7:9, 10; Re 5:11), as well as the physical universe and the creatures originally produced within it. Logically, it was to this firstborn Son that Jehovah said: “Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness.” (Ge 1:26) All these other created things were not only created “through him” but also “for him,” as God’s Firstborn and the “heir of all things.”​—Col 1:16; Heb 1:2.

Not a co-Creator. The Son’s share in the creative works, however, did not make him a co-Creator with his Father. The power for creation came from God through his holy spirit, or active force. (Ge 1:2; Ps 33:6) And since Jehovah is the Source of all life, all animate creation, visible and invisible, owes its life to him. (Ps 36:9) Rather than a co-Creator, then, the Son was the agent or instrumentality through whom Jehovah, the Creator, worked. Jesus himself credited God with the creation, as do all the Scriptures.​—Mt 19:4-6; see CREATION.

Wisdom personified. What is recorded concerning the Word in the Scriptures fits remarkably the description given at Proverbs 8:22-31. There wisdom is personified, represented as though able to speak and act. (Pr 8:1) Many professed Christian writers of the early centuries of the Common Era understood this section to refer symbolically to God’s Son in his prehuman state. In view of the texts already considered, there can be no denying that that Son was “produced” by Jehovah “as the beginning of his way, the earliest of his achievements of long ago,” nor that the Son was “beside [Jehovah] as a master worker” during earth’s creation, as described in these verses of Proverbs. ...

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Regarding the first bolded part:

Context (playlist):

Trinity Doctrine, A False Teaching Of Man, Council of Nicaea

“If any man teaches other doctrine and does not assent to healthful words, those of our Lord Jesus Christ, nor to the teaching that accords with godly devotion, he is puffed up with pride, not understanding anything, but being mentally diseased over questionings and debates about words.” (1 Tim 6:3,4; NW)

A newer edition of the NW renders it this way (adding verses 5-10):

“If any man teaches another doctrine and does not agree with the wholesome instruction, which is from our Lord Jesus Christ, nor with the teaching that is in harmony with godly devotion, he is puffed up with pride and does not understand anything. He is obsessed with arguments and debates about words. These things give rise to envy, strife, slander, wicked suspicions, constant disputes about minor matters by men who are corrupted in mind and deprived of the truth, thinking that godly devotion is a means of gain. To be sure, there is great gain in godly devotion along with contentment. For we have brought nothing into the world, and neither can we carry anything out. So, having food* [Or “sustenance.”] and clothing, we will be content with these things.

But those who are determined to be rich fall into temptation and a snare and many senseless and harmful desires that plunge men into destruction and ruin. For the love of money is a root of all sorts of injurious things, and by reaching out for this love some have been led astray from the faith and have stabbed themselves all over with many pains.”

Context again (playlist link):

(False) Religion is a Snare and a Racket

Be on your guard with those with a different doctrine or gospel/good news about Jesus Christ. “Not that there is another good news; but there are certain ones who are causing you trouble and wanting to distort the good news about the Christ. However, even if we or an angel out of heaven were to declare to you as good news something beyond the good news we declared to you, let him be accursed.” (Gal 1:7,8)

“For there will be a period of time when they will not put up with the wholesome* [Or “healthful; beneficial.”] teaching, but according to their own desires, they will surround themselves with teachers to have their ears tickled.* [Or “to tell them what they want to hear.”] They will turn away from listening to the truth and give attention to false stories.” (2 Timothy 4:3,4)

“So we should no longer be children, tossed about as by waves and carried here and there by every wind of teaching by means of the trickery of men, by means of cunning in deceptive schemes.” (Ephesians 4:14)

“And stop being molded by this system of things,* [ Or “this age.”] but be transformed by making your mind over, so that you may prove to yourselves the good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” (Romans 12:2)

Also:

“Look out that no one takes you captive by means of the philosophy and empty deception according to human tradition, according to the elementary things of the world and not according to Christ;” “We have much to say about him, and it is difficult to explain, because you have become dull in your hearing.” (Col 2:8; Hebrews 5:11)

“However, the inspired word clearly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to misleading inspired statements and teachings of demons, by means of the hypocrisy of men who speak lies, whose conscience is seared as with a branding iron.” (1 Timothy 4:1,2).

Matthew 13:13-15

That is why I speak to them by the use of illustrations; for looking, they look in vain, and hearing, they hear in vain, nor do they get the sense of it. 14 And the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled in their case. It says: ‘You will indeed hear but by no means get the sense of it, and you will indeed look but by no means see. 15 For the heart of this people has grown unreceptive, and with their ears they have heard without response, and they have shut their eyes, so that they might never see with their eyes and hear with their ears and get the sense of it with their hearts and turn back and I heal them.’

2 Corinthians 4:3-9

If, in fact, the good news we declare is veiled, it is veiled among those who are perishing, among whom the god of this system of things has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, so that the illumination* [Or “light.”] of the glorious good news about the Christ, who is the image of God, might not shine through. 5 For we are preaching, not about ourselves, but about Jesus Christ as Lord and ourselves as your slaves for Jesus’ sake. 6 For God is the one who said: “Let the light shine out of darkness,” and he has shone on our hearts to illuminate them with the glorious knowledge of God by the face of Christ.

7 However, we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the power beyond what is normal may be God’s and not from us. 8 We are hard-pressed in every way, but not cramped beyond movement; we are perplexed, but not absolutely with no way out;* [Or possibly, “but not left in despair.”] we are persecuted, but not abandoned; we are knocked down, but not destroyed.

John 8:42-47

Jesus said to them: “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here. I have not come of my own initiative, but that One sent me. 43 Why do you not understand what I am saying? Because you cannot listen to* [Or “accept.”] my word. 44 You are from your father the Devil, and you wish to do the desires of your father. That one was a murderer when he began, and he did not stand fast in the truth, because truth is not in him. When he speaks the lie, he speaks according to his own disposition, because he is a liar and the father of the lie. 45 Because I, on the other hand, tell you the truth, you do not believe me. 46 Who of you convicts me of sin? If I speak truth, why is it that you do not believe me? 47 The one who is from God listens to the sayings of God. This is why you do not listen, because you are not from God.”

See also John 8:54,55. Who did the Jews* Jesus was talking to there claim to be their God? Did they claim Jesus is their God as the clergy and teachers of Christendom do? Do they (the Jews) do so now? (*: Jewish religious leaders/clergy and teachers to be exact)

Is Jesus God?

Don't fall for it. Cause:

Coming back to 2 Corinthians 4:5: “For we are preaching, not about ourselves, but about Jesus Christ as Lord.” “Lord” carries the same meaning as “King” in the context of my commentary, concerning what I said earlier that Jesus Christ has been appointed and anointed by God to be the King (and Lord) of God's Kingdom. This is part of the “good news about the Christ” (verse 4). During the times of Biblical history, both the Hebrews and some of the non-Hebrews ceremonially anointed rulers. This constituted the confirmation of their official appointment to office. (Jg 9:8, 15; 1Sa 9:16; 2Sa 19:10)

“Therefore, let all the house of Israel know for a certainty that God made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you executed on a stake.” (Acts 2:36)

Was it a stake, or a cross?

a reply to: whereislogic

What are your personal thoughts about Jesus?

originally posted by: Justoneman
Ok I think for sure Universal is accurate.

Indeed, the true God is everywhere.

Jesus for me are the teachings that binds humanity in a world of peace, charity, love and goodwill.

Prince of Peace.

originally posted by: GENERAL EYES
Jesus for me are the teachings that binds humanity in a world of peace, charity, love and goodwill.

Prince of Peace.

originally posted by: PrivateAngel
a reply to: whereislogic

What are your personal thoughts about Jesus?

That he is a real person, an individual, 1 person. He was created by his God and Father ("the invisible God" as it says at Colossians 1:15) as "the beginning of the creation by God" (Revelation 3:14), i.e. the first person God created. God is also a real person, 1 individual, God is not the same individual as Jesus (as taught in the doctrine of the Trinity or by Binitarians). Jesus came to earth with a message from God about God's Kingdom, which I spoke about before, this message that originally came from his God, was good news for mankind as explained before why. When Jesus came to earth and was born as a human being of blood and flesh (so no longer a spirit being*), he taught many things that his God and Father taught him first when he was still existing in heaven as a spirit being (as he himself explained as recorded at John 8:26-28,38). The things that God taught him, and instructed him to teach us, are for our benefit, and have proven to be of great benefit to all those taking these teachings seriously and following the accompanying instructions and commands; all those wishing to be his disciples, i.e. Christians, must obey and adhere to these to gain and experience that benefit (otherwise it doesn't work, if people just 'do their own thing' and 'follow their own counsel' or paths to supposed 'enlightenment', which is described in the Bible as the behaviour of a "fool", Proverbs 12:15, hating knowledge, refusing God's advice and reproof and glutted by their own counsel, Proverbs 1:29-31). A good example would be the instructions in his Sermon on the Mount (a link to what he said on that occasion is posted in my previous commentary). These instructions and commands revolve around the concept of loving both God and one's neighbour (humankind), as Jesus explained at Matthew 22:34-40:

34 After the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they came together in one group. 35 And one of them, versed in the Law, tested him by asking: 36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” 37 He said to him: “‘You must love Jehovah your God with your whole heart and with your whole soul and with your whole mind.’ 38 This is the greatest and first commandment. 39 The second, like it, is this: ‘You must love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments the whole Law hangs, and the Prophets.”

*: Both God and angels are spirit beings (nonphysicial beings; John 4:24, Psalm 104:4, Hebrews 1:7).

a reply to: whereislogic

Thank you.


If you didn't see the film Jesus Of Nazareth, then you should because it is beautiful.

This is a clip from the film:

The Sermon On The Mount