Jesus – Page 4 – Andy Wrasman

Greek Gods vs. Jesus

We can understand the Greek gods. If Zues is upset, he’ll smite thee! He’ll release the Kraken! No problem there. If you’re hot, he’ll have sex with you, and he won’t take no for an answer. We get these gods, because they’re like us. They’re who we’d be if we were gods. They’re sinners hyped up with super-powers and over-sized egos, hanging out on a Mountain in the sky, acting like hormonally out of control teenagers all day and all through the night.

Jesus on the other hand. He’s not so easy for us to grasp. God in the flesh dying on a cross at the hands of his own creation so they might have eternal life. There are a lot of doctrines in the Bible to unpack to understand the significance of why God would have to die in the person of Jesus Christ so we might have life after death, but this is for certain; Jesus is not like any of the gods on Mount Olympus!

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February 12, 2013March 25, 2015

Andy Wrasman3 Comments

Muslims believe Jesus is the Messiah – Clash with John 14:6.

I received the following comment on a blog post:

Did you know that Muslims believe Jesus is the Messiah? Where does that fit into John 14:6?

Someone else responded to that by saying:

See you can’t speak for all Muslims. Some do believe Jesus is the Messiah, others believe he was just a prophet who died, etc. What does the word Messiah mean to Muslims?

I think that was a pretty good response. Ask the guy for more clarity. Do all Muslims believe Jesus was the Messiah? They likely refer to him as the Christ, but do they know that Christ means Messiah, and if they do know this, what exactly does the word Messiah mean to Muslims? Do they have Messianic expectations that are the same as the Jews? Do they understand Jesus’ role as the Messiah in the same way as Christians?

The original commenter responded saying:

It’s part of their doctrine. Mainstream Muslims say to not believe Jesus sits even now at the right hand of God and will come again is not to be Muslim. They believe Jesus was born of the virgin Mary. Look it up. It’s in the fundamentals of Islamic doctrin

This reply doesn’t exactly address the meaning of Messiah and doesn’t show that Muslims believe everything Christians believe about John 14:6 and the personhood of the God-Man, Jesus Christ. Here’s the comment I left after this string of comments:

I know that you are right that Muslims believe that Jesus was born of a virgin named Mary.

I also know that they don’t believe he died. That is clearly stated in the Qur’an. If he did not die, then the doctrine of his atoning sacrifice for the sins of mankind is not within Islam, which means that Muslims reject the prophesies of Isaiah 53. Muslims believe that each man must pay for his own sin, that they cannot stick their sins to someone else. This means Christians have quite a different understanding of who Jesus is and what he did for mankind than Muslims do.
The following page shows the verses from the Qur’an that support that Jesus was born of a virgin, did not have an earthly Father just as Adam, and did not die:http://www.islam-guide.com/ch3-10.htm.

Help me out, please. Where do you find that Muslims believe that Jesus is sitting at the right hand of the Father and that he is the Messiah. Also show me what Muslims believe concerning the Messiah. I know that Christians recognize that Messiah means “anointed one” and that prophets, priests, and kings were anointed in ancient Israel. Christians believe that Jesus as the Messiah fulfills all three offices in such a way that no other person possibly can because Jesus is fully God and fully man (another Doctrine that Muslims reject).

Any feedback or additional thoughts or answers to the questions I left in my post on this topic would be appreciated.

Did you know that the Qur’an has a lot to say about Jesus? (andywrasman.com)
Qur’an and the Injeel #4 (andywrasman.com)
Qur’an and the Injeel #5 (andywrasman.com)
Did the Resurrection Really Happen? (andywrasman.com)

February 6, 2013

Andy Wrasman24 Comments

One Nation Under God #1

One nation under God. Which God? I’ve heard a lot of people make the argument that a majority of the founding fathers were deists and not Christians. I however was taught that America was founded as a Christian nation. Here are some quotes from some very influential founding fathers:

From John Hancock – Signer of the Declaration of Independence:

Principally and first of all, I give and recommend my soul into the hands of God that gave it; and my body I recommend to the earth… nothing doubting but at the general resurrection I shall receive the same again by the mercy and power of God.

The doctrine of a general resurrection would have come from a Biblical, Christian worldview for Mr. Hancock.

Patrick Henry – Governor of Virgina:

It cannot be emphasized too clearly and too often that this nation was founded, not by religionists, but by Christians; not on religion, but on the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Wow! Partrick Henry claims that America was founded on the gospel of Jesus Christ! That isn’t generic deism by any stretch of the imagination. If Patrick Henry was wrong in this statement, other early prominent American leaders would have corrected him. Do we have any such corrections?

Benjamin Rush – Signer of the Declaration of Independence:

My only hope of salvation is the infinite, transcendent love of God manifested to the world by death of His Son upon the cross. Nothing but His blood will wash away my sins. I rely exclusively upon it. Come, Lord Jesus! Come quickly!

Benjamin Rush, Painting (Photo credit: Marion Doss)

Benjamin Rush definitely wasn’t Jewish or Islamic, or simply believing that there was some unknown Creator directing the course of history from afar without any direct revelation of himself to mankind.

John Adams – Second President:

The general principles upon which the Fathers achieved independence were the general principles of Christianity… I will avow that I believed and now believe that those general principles of Christianity are as eternal and immutable as the existence and attributes of God.

John Hancock and John Adams:

We recognize no sovereign but God, and no King but Jesus!

All quotes were pulled from In God We Still Trust by Dr. Richard G. Lee.

February 4, 2013July 5, 2019

Andy Wrasman1 Comment

Christian Influence and Connections with Super Bowl 2013

Just in case you are interested or wanting to read Super Bowl articles that make reference to Jesus and the Christian faith in connection to football:

Making connections from the different types of people who watch the Super Bowl with their various reasons with those who listen to Gospel messages:

http://www.dare2share.org/devotions/gods-view-of-the-game/#sthash.lkj0VQVh.dpbs

Who should Christians cheer for and does God make a difference in who wins?:

http://newsok.com/super-bowl-xlvii-who-should-christians-cheer-for/article/3750938

This blogger pulls quotes from a press conference Q and A session Ray Lewis gave before the Super Bowl and shows how Lewis provides a good example of Christian living:

http://disciplegideon.wordpress.com/2013/01/31/ray-lewis-the-epitome-of-a-christian-athlete/

Lewis and his stage for preaching the Christian faith (it makes me wonder, would some people who aggressively despise Tebow’s Christian preaching, be more apt to listen to hard-hitting, hard-knocks defensive linebacker when he speaks):

http://global.christianpost.com/news/ray-lewis-pastor-talks-linebackers-christian-witness-on-the-football-field-89079/

Colin Kaepernick’s Bible Verse Tattoos on Display in NFL and and the Big Stage:

http://blog.christianitytoday.com/ctliveblog/archives/2013/01/tattooed-49ers-qb-not-the-only-controversial-christian-on-2013-superbowl-field.html