[DISCLAIMER: This is not my original work.
I obtained this information from other websites, but did some editing to it.]
Who is Jesus of Nazareth?
When he walked upon this earth over nineteen hundred years ago he asked his disciples: “Whom do men say that I, the Son of man am?” They answered that some declared him to be John the Baptist, while others claimed that he was Elias, and others Jeremias, or one of the prophets. he said to his disciples, “But whom say ye that I am?” (Matt. 16:15). Here we find the correct answer as to whom Jesus is. The man who knows and believes this and can give this answer from the depth of his heart in spirit and in truth is blessed. He has had revelation from heaven through the Word of truth. Hear the answer of truth! “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matt. 16:16).
Unless we come without any strings attached, without any wresting or twisting of these words, and believe them just as they are stated, we cannot know the living God. Neither do we understand his plan of salvation.
“Thou art the Christ,” means, “Thou art the Anointed One.” Now those who contend that Jesus was God himself or the High God can never believe that Jesus was the Anointed One. Why? Those who advocate that Jesus is God himself claim there is a triune God and therefore is equal to and co-existent with God the Father.
In Acts 10:38 we find these words: “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power.” Let us think honestly and clearly before God. If Jesus were God himself or part of a trinity Godhead, equal and co-existent with two other parts [or persons] in a Godhead of three, it would be impossible for him to be anointed by any one of the other two. That would make one of them greater than he. The Bible clearly states that “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power.” If God had not anointed Jesus with the Holy Ghost and with power, could he ever have accomplished anything worthy of mention? How many sins could he have forgiven? How many sick could he have healed? Could he have raised the dead? You see, Jesus was not God, but was the Son of God and was dependent upon his Father. (John 5:19-21)
Now hear the Word of the LORD. It may change your theology; it may destroy what you have believed for years; but it is the truth. John 5:19 states, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do.” Look closely at this for a moment. If Jesus were God himself, or even equal with God, then Jesus could do nothing of himself and neither could God! Someone will say that he can do what he sees the Father do. That is true. Jesus can do what he sees his Father do, but if they are equal, God must also see His father act before He is able to do His wonderful acts. God has no father. Even a child prejudiced to the teachings of men can see the error in this line of thought.
John 5:20 states, “The Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth: and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel.” Now if Jesus were God himself, or equal with God, and had been with God from all eternity, would God have to show him the works that he did? Friends, the doctrines of the trinity and of the pre-existence are doctrines of the devils that are to destroy men’s faith in the true God and in Jesus his Son.
In John 5:26 and 27, we read, “As the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; and hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.” Now you either believe this or you deny it. Notice, the Father has life in himself. God only has immortality, but how did Jesus get life? The Father gave it to him, both natural life through birth, and immortality through a resurrection. If Jesus were God himself or equal with God, God could not give him life, for he would already have it even as the Father has it . Then again, how did Jesus get his authority to execute judgment? Hear again the Word of God. God gave it to him. Could Jesus be as great as the Father, if the Father is the one who anointed him with power and gave him life and gave him his authority? The only reason Jesus has the authority he now has is because God gave it to him.
In John 5:30 Jesus repeats again, “I can of mine own self do nothing.” Could Jesus do anything of himself alone? He said he could of his own self do nothing. Did God ever do anything by himself? In Isaiah 44:24 it is said of God, “I am Yahweh that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself.” Many say that Jesus helped to create the earth or that he was the Creator, but here the speaker said, “I stretched forth the heavens alone and spread abroad the earth by myself.” Jesus said, “I can of mine own self do nothing.” The disciples of Christ knew full well that Jesus was not God, neither any part of a trinity Godhead, but was the Son of God, begotten by the spirit and power of God according to the Word of God, born of the virgin Mary. Born – really born – not incarnated, but born!
I would like to say here that the words “God the Son”, “pre-existent” , “trinity” , and “incarnate” are nowhere found in the Bible. They are terms put to use by the satanic host to deceive ministers and churchgoers and to rob them of ever knowing the real Son of God. This is what Peter had reference to in 2 Peter 2:1 when he said, “There shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.”
… God cannot die. … Since God cannot die, neither could a trinity Christ. The Scriptures declare that Christ died for our sins. (1 Cor. 15:3) According to the Scriptures, the Son of God, born of a virgin, brought into existence by the power of God, being anointed with life from God, power and authority from God, died for our sins, thus giving his entire life for us. But, thanks be to God, He raised him up from the dead.
… In John 6:57 we find, “As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father.” Notice that the living Father sent the Son. Could one God be equal with another when one was sent of the other? Notice also Jesus said, “I live by [and through] the Father.” Without the Father, Jesus never would have existed and had life.
In John 7:16 Jesus said, “my doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me.” If Jesus were God himself or a part of a trinity God, how could he say, “my doctrine is not mine” ? If Jesus were equal to the Father and the doctrine he was giving was not his, does Jesus have a doctrine just as equal and powerful and strong as the doctrine of his Father? And does the Holy Spirit also have another doctrine? Would their doctrines be the same or different?
Jesus [let’s us] know that he had nothing to do with the origin of the doctrines which he spoke. They originated with the Father, and the Son spoke the doctrines of the Father. In John 7:28 Jesus said, “Ye both know me, and ye know whence I am: and I am not come of myself, but he that sent me is true, whom ye know not.” If Jesus were God himself, would he not have had to send himself? He said, “I am not come of myself.” Friend, did you or I come of ourself? We had nothing to do with it. We did not come into existence by our will, for we had no will, no life, no intellect, until we were born. The same is true of Christ. Jesus did not come of himself, but God sent him. If there were three equal Gods, why would one God send another one of the other two to die? If one could send one of the other two to die, would not the one that had power to send be greater? When God spoke of Jesus in the Old Testament He said:
- Deuteronomy 18:18 I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee (Moses), and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.
- Deuteronomy 18:19 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.
Jesus spoke God’s words that God Himself gave to him. …
In John 8:28 Jesus said, “I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things.” When one God has to be taught of another God, the God that does the teaching would be the greater. If Jesus were co-equal with God and co-existent with him, he would not have to be taught from the Father.
Again, Jesus said in John 8:42, “I proceed forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.” … Jesus said in John 10:29, “my Father … is greater than all.
1 Corinthians 11:3 But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.
Friends, do you not understand that Jesus is the anointed flesh and bones [human being] which God brought forth to life by His holy spirit, His own power, and that there is no other Savior of truth who could die for us?
… The Father is God and Jesus Christ is his Son, born of the virgin by the power of God. They are two separate and different beings. …
May God help you to believe in his Son, even as the Ethiopian eunuch, who said,
“I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”
Age To Come 