I am having a relationship with the "true" Christ Jesus and fully believe in the Triune Godhead-this is where I disagree and the Deity of Messiah is under constant attack.
PS. I do read my posts BEFORE posting.
J.
Ok little Girl... To... Whom do you... Worship?
If we may let our Lord and King have the final word. Jesus plainly states,
"the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be his worshipers. God is spirit; and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth" (John 4:23-24). Who does Jesus declare are the "true worshipers"? He insists,
"the true worshipers shall worship the Father…" If we would be amongst the true worshipers we must be with Jesus worshiping this Father.
Evidently, those who worship "God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Ghost, three persons in one God," Are not said by Jesus to be the true worshippers. Those who worship the Father as the "only true God" are. The worshipper of the One God, the Father, as Jesus’ own affirmation that he is the true worshipper.
This is the biblical pattern throughout. The so-called Lord's prayer, the model prayer, teaches us to "pray
in this way: our
Father who art in heaven…"(Matt. 6:9). This pattern of prayer and worship prescribed by our Lord Jesus is followed and sanctioned by every example given in Scripture. See the following:
" For this reason I bow my knees before the Father," (Eph 3:14)
" giving thanks always and for everything
to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, " (Eph 5:20)
" We always
thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, "( Col 1:3 )
"giving thanks
to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light." (Col 1:12)
This list is by no means exhaustive. But it is sufficient to show that we are, with our Lord Jesus, to worship and pray to the
Father. This is the usual pattern of prayer and worship in the New Testament. They prayed to the one God through the name or authority of Jesus Christ. They evidently were not aware that the Holy Spirit was God (a third person), for wherein all the pages of the Bible to the Saints pray to the Holy Spirit? And where in all the pages of Scripture do the worshipers of God sing to the Holy Spirit as is the general custom within Christendom today?
"and let all the Angels of God worship him" (Heb. 1:6). The fact that Jesus is worship by Thomas as he falls at his feet and honors him with the confession, "My Lord and my God!" Too many presents the final proof that Jesus is God (John 20:28).
To all of this there is a very simple solution. Once again it comes back to a failure to understand biblical culture; a failure to read the Bible through Hebrew eyes. In the Old Testament in main Hebrew word for worship is
shachah. It occurs about 170 times but the surprising thing is that only about half of this number relate to the worship of God as God. This fact is hidden in our English translations. The translators prefer to say "bow down to" or "revere" when
shachah refers to homage paid to noble persons, whether Angels or men, but say "worship" when God is the object. This is a false distinction the original texts does not support. Here are just a view
examples:
Lot "worshiped" the two strangers who looked like normal travelers as they entered Sodom (Gen. 19:1).
Abraham "worshipped" the Gentile leaders of the land where he lived (Gen. 23:7).
Jacob "worshipped" his older brother Esau (Gen. 33:3).
David "worshipped" King Saul (1 Sam. 24:8).
These are just a few instances of the many that could be cited to show the reluctance of the translators to consistently translate shachah as "worship" when worship of important persons was obviously a common feature of Hebrew culture. In Scripture worship is offered to God and to men. There is no special word and the Old Testament for "worship" reserved exclusively for God.
But there is a reluctance to translate this one-word consistently. If you looked up your English translations of the above verses you will find that you do not use the "w" word. They prefer to say "bowed down" or "revered" or "pay homage to" instead of "worshiped." This inconsistency of translation has created the false impression that only God can be worshiped.
So then, how do we explain this in light of the clear command that we are to worship God the Father alone as both the first commandment and that Jesus himself command? Is this a contradiction after all? No way.
The answer is that whenever men "worshiped" other men it was a relative worship. In most of the examples above it is clear that the ones worshiped were God's representatives.
Once again we are back to the principle of Jewish agency. The Israelites had no difficulty in offering this proportional or
relative worship to the ones who came in Gods Name, with God's message. It is obvious that the first commandment "You must not bow yourself down [
shachah] to them nor serve them" is
not a prohibition against a
relative worship of those worthy of it. If this was the case then obviously all these Old Testament godly men and women sinned greatly.
There, in that glorious Kingdom, Jesus Christ will continue to be a joyful worshiper of God his Father. Thus, the one God and Father he is alone worshiped
absolutely. All other divinely appointed worship is homage to persons who are not God himself.
Jesus is among those worthy of such worship for he is worshiped as the one Messiah, God's supreme son and agent.
Jesus knew the prophecy: "Worship the Lord with reverence, and… do homage to the Son" (Ps.2: 11-12). Jesus knew God his Father had decreed "Let all the Angels of God worship him" (Psalms 97:7). Jesus knew that the angelic messengers of Jehovah had in the past received relative worship from God-pleasing men and women. Jesus knew that of the one true God could be addressed as though they were God. And Jesus knew he was the Son and ultimately agent of God, so how much greater his destiny! As the "only begotten Son" whom the father had "sealed" and commissioned he knew that whoever honored him honored the Father also. This was his Father's decree (Psalms 2:11-12; 97:7).
Psalms 2:11-12 Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. 12 Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way, for his wrath is quickly kindled. Blessed are all who take refuge in him.
Psalms 97:7
All worshipers of images are put to shame, who make their boast in worthless idols; worship him, all you gods!
2Co 4:4 …the gospel of the glory of
Christ, who is the image of God.
Now back to Thomas’ worship of the risen Jesus as "My Lord and my God"
This is why Jesus did not rebuke Thomas when he fell at his feet and worshiped the risen Lord. Not because Jesus knew himself to be Jehovah God and this fact had finally dawned on Thomas. Rather, it was homage offered to Jesus as God's ordained Messiah. Jesus can be worshiped as the Lord Messiah.
In fact, this is clearly what the writer John means by reporting this incident, for the very next two verses say that these things "have been written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ (Messiah), the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in his name" (John 20:31).
To say that Thomas was worshiping Jesus as Almighty God is to directly contradict John's own stated purpose for writing his whole Gospel. When Thomas fell at Jesus’ feet and worshiped him, Thomas was at last recognizing that the resurrected Jesus was the long promised Lord Messiah. Thomas’ language it was steeped in Old Testament concepts.
Remember when David stepped out of the cave and call to King Saul, "My Lord and my King" (1 Sam. 24:9)? In the same way King Messiah is to be worshiped and adored by his bride: "Then
the King will desire your beauty; because he is
your Lord, bow down to him" (Ps.45:11). Thomas’ language is in the same Hebrew tradition. He means the same thing. Thomas is addressing the rightful king of Israel, the now risen and victorious Lord. We just have to think like first century Jews steeped in their Old Testament prophets! "A Savior has been born for you who is
Messiah and Lord" (Luke 2:11). "God has made him both
Lord and Messiah, this Jesus whom you crucified" (Acts 2:36).
Exalted in heaven right now Jesus still calls the Lord God Almighty "
my God" and "my Father" (Rev. 3:2, 5, 12). The Lord God is still called "
his God and Father" (Rev. 1:6). In the Revelation there is always "our God" and "His Christ" (Rev. 12:10; 20:6) or "the Lord God, the Almighty, and the lamb" (Rev. 6:16; 21:22; 21:1, 3). Yes, in good Hebrew understanding, Thomas’ worship preserves this Biblical distinction:
Lord and Messiah = Lord and king= Lord and god
The worship we give to our glorious Lord Jesus Christ is worship that is ultimately given to his God and our God, to his Father and our Father.
HOW DO YOU NOT KNOW THESE THINGS!!!
