Why do people think Jesus is God?

I had a friend who was Christian like I, and was one of the wonderful personin the world. She helped me when I was struggling with my room mate and took me in and everything.

One day I was talking about religion and realized that she believed in Jesus being a God, not part of God.

From my perspective, if he was able to portray human form, he is already not as omniscient as God himself. I can certainly believe that Jesus is the reflection of God and he was perfect. Humans like us can also be like Jesus, since we are also reflection of God. We just need to work very hard to stand strong in front of the door to not let any evil inside.

So why do people think Jesus is God? Why do people believe in such a thing! She also said that there is no way we can be perfect like Jesus was. But we have infinite life. There is nothing stopping us to be a perfect reflection of God, except for the acceptance that we are already given everything we need to be perfect.

Please enlighten me.

[MikeDavis]

The belief that Jesus is God was a development in Christian theology that pretty much came after the period in which the New Testament documents were written. Many mainstream Bible scholars believe that it is highly unlikely that the historical Jesus believed he was God.

[pastajoe]

The typical muslim response to the claims that 'Jesus is God' is to get the Bible and ask the one who has that belief to show where Jesus said 'I am God, worship me' or anything resembling that. I've never known that response to be rebutted.

As for the popularisation of this belief you'll find that it is more of a political mantra designed to drive a wedge in Christianity as a whole. The culprits are 70's socialists and other radicals aligned with 'liberation' theology.

[soapergem]

Why do people who are hypnotized believe they are eating a banana when in fact they are not? Why do people believe that men are evolved from monkeys? Why does there seem to be evil in the world if God is all-loving?

There are many questions one can ask about error, but the only way to really find answers is to turn away from error and look to Truth. To ask God.

I imagine that there would be people out there who would ask, "how can Christian Scientists claim that Jesus wasn't God?" But these questions don't go anywhere except in circles. Our mission is never to debate human theories. It is just to preach the gospel, and heal the sick and sinning.

If you want a quick derivation of why people probably think Jesus was God, here it is: Jesus was able to heal and perform miracles, it doesn't seem like I am able to do this, therefore Jesus is God. Also, Jesus said, "I and my Father are one." He must have been talking about God, so he and God are the same thing.

The only problem I see is this: if a student is unable to solve a math problem, does that mean that he cannot possibly solve the problem, and his professor is therefore the only one that can? No. It just means the student hasn't learned the principle for himself yet. Keyword: yet.

And in regard to Jesus' quote, which is from John 10:30, Mrs. Eddy has to say this:

The Christian who believes in the First Commandment is a monotheist. . . . and recognizes that Jesus Christ is not God, as Jesus himself declared, but is the Son of God. This declaration of Jesus, understood, conflicts not at all with another of his sayings: "I and my Father are one," -- that is, one in quality, not in quantity. As a drop of water is one with the ocean, a ray of light one with the sun, even so God and man, Father and son, are one in being. The Scripture reads: "For in Him we live, and move, and have our being."

And Jesus' declarations of him being the Son of God, but not God incarnate, are numerous. "I can of my own self do nothing" (John 5:30), "Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God" (Matthew 19:17), "He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do" (John 14:12), and so on.

His instructions to all that believe on him to go and heal the sick, cast out demons, cleanse the lepers, and raise the dead were not just to the immediate twelve, but indeed all who believe on him. His mission was to show that God is here for everyone, always available, always accessible, always reliable. It wasn't just a 3-year period in which a bunch of cool stuff happened, but a principle that can (and has been) demonstrated throughout all the ages. "Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world."

[JudyRae]

Old theology suggests that Jesus came to show us that God is man-like. But surely Jesus' whole mission of salvation was based on the fact that man's true being is God-like?