Non Trinitarian Christians - Why Was Jesus Special?

[The Sum of Awe]

Last night, I was wondering why "prophets" added the Trinity to the Bible, and the best way of thinking I could do is not why they added it, but what Non-Trinitarians believe from their perspective.

So I concluded later on this, If Jesus was just the Son of God, and as the Bible says we all are, then why is Jesus more special than any of us?

Because he Resurrected? 9_10s Penguin started a thread about that also, that many people have Resurrected according to the Bible.

He died for our sins? Couldn't anybody? He seemed like an average guy...

Why do you think Jesus was important?

 

[ChristineES]

I can't answer for them, but, at least some of them might believe that Jesus was a sacrifice in place of us although they don't believe Him to be God. I studied with the Jehovah's Witnesses (a non-Trinitarian Christian denomination) for a few months and that was what they taught to me. (I never actually joined them, though)

 

[Terrywoodenpic]

I was not aware that any Prophet added the Trinity.
It was some time after the establishment of Christianity that the Trinity became a majority belief.

Jesus was spoken of as the Son of God, and along with the Father and the Holy Spirit was worshipped from the earliest days. how ever they were seen as separate.

Jesus, during his days as a teacher, was thought by some to be the expected messiah.
I doubt any thought that he had been conceived by the Holy Spirit, or that his mother was a Virgin.
However things changed when he was crucified.
He had predicted that he would return to his disciples on the third day, and much to their surprise he did so. He also said he would be ascend to his father, which they confirmed was the case.

Most of the beliefs Christian cherish came later.
Such as Dying for our sins. the Religious books were consulted and writings were found, that seemed to show that every thing they had witnessed, had been foretold by the prophets. some of these prophecies are very tenuous.

For me it is easier to believe that Jesus is the Son of God.
That Jesus taught us by example.
That the Prime spiritual mover in our lives is the Holy Ghost.
That God is the Creator of the Universe, but not necessarily, or even likely, to be involved in all our daily lives.

God is the Creator and Law maker.
Jesus is or Teacher and witness
The Holy Spirit is our guide and comforter.

 

[Jensen]

Jesus wasn't just the son of God, but the son of man, our savior, resurrected Lord, intercessor, and sinless, and sits at the right hand of God. That is much more than a "just".....thanks for referring to us non-Trinitarians as Christians, so many will not.

Jensen

 

[SageTree]

Why WAS or why IS?

Because I can only speak in certainties on ONE of those questions
Guess which one !!!!

 

[Mister Emu]

Not all Non-Trinitarians reject the divinity of Christ, for instance the LDS. Sabellianism and Arianism, I believe, as well.

 

[Pegg]

We believe that Jesus was originally a powerful spirit in heaven before he was born as a man. We believe that is what makes him unique and special. he was not simply a human with a human father...he was in fact a divine being who was born into the world as a human. So we dont believe Joseph was his biological father.

We also believe that Jesus is Micheal the Arch Angel. That angel is the one who leads the angles in the battle of Armageddon during the last days. He is the angle who will ultimately destroy Satan and his wicked angels, and he will lead mankind back to perfection.

that is why he is special. God chose him for the task because he is Gods finest angelic son.

 

[BruceDLimber]

Last night, I was wondering why "prophets" added the Trinity to the Bible....

Prophets didn't add it, and except for one brief verse, there's really no indication of any "trinity" in the Bible.

The trinity doctrine is man-made and was developed over the course of several centuries by a number of church councils, including those of Nicea, Ephesus, Constantinople, and Chalcedon.

Disagreements resulting from these also split the church, divorcing the Eastern Orthodox and the Roman Catholic Churches--a split which continues to this day! Moreover, internecine warfare also resulted from this split.

Just the facts.

Bruce

 

[Jensen]

Prophets didn't add it, and except for one brief verse, there's really no indication of any "trinity" in the Bible.

The trinity doctrine is man-made and was developed over the course of several centuries by a number of church councils, including those of Nicea, Ephesus, Constantinople, and Chalcedon.

Disagreements resulting from these also split the church, divorcing the Eastern Orthodox and the Roman Catholic Churches--a split which continues to this day! Moreover, internecine warfare also resulted from this split.

Just the facts.

Bruce

So, is the Eastern Orthodox non-trinitarian?

 

[SageTree]

So, is the Eastern Orthodox non-trinitarian?

Wiki blerb>

Trinity

Orthodox Christians believe in the Trinity. The Father is the cause or origin of the Godhead, from whom the Son is begotten eternally and also from whom the Holy Spirit proceeds eternally. The Holy Trinity is three, distinct, divine persons (hypostases), without overlap or modality among them, who share one divine essence (ousia)—uncreated, immaterial and eternal. Orthodox doctrine regarding the Holy Trinity is summarized in the Nicene Creed (Symbol of Faith).
In discussing God's relationship to His creation, Orthodoxy used the concept of a distinction between God's eternal essence which is totally transcendent and His uncreated energies which is how He reaches us. The God who is transcendent and the God who touches us are one and the same (i.e. These energies are not something that proceed from God or that God produces, but rather they are God himself: distinct, yet inseparable from, God's inner being)

Interesting: Wiki: I'd read about Chalcedon, the Oriental Orthodox Church, Nestorianism and Miaphysitism to get an idea of a Christology dispute. Almost all but the Oriental Orthodox Churches have accept the Chalcedon Creed.

A brief definition of Nestorian Christology can be given as: "Jesus Christ, who is not identical with the Son but personally united with the Son, who lives in him, is one hypostasis and one nature: human."[1] Both Nestorianism and monophysitism were condemned as heretical at the Council of Chalcedon. Monophysitism survived and developed into the Miaphysitism of the modern Oriental Orthodox churches.

And for a little further reading , this breaks down some of the disputes pretty well:

Ecumenical council - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


:namaste
SageTree

 

[outhouse]

Last night, I was wondering why "prophets" added the Trinity to the Bible,

as stated they didnt.

but what Non-Trinitarians believe from their perspective.

God and his son who died for our sins. two seperate deitys

So I concluded later on this, If Jesus was just the Son of God, and as the Bible says we all are, then why is Jesus more special than any of us?

because he being gods son, left his human bindings to become a deity in his act of selflessness

Because he Resurrected?

not really, thats just what deitys can do one look at history and you will find this was common with previous deity figures.

He died for our sins?

thats how the story goes

Couldn't anybody?

not really

deitys are not made often, back then they were a dime a dozen. Now , not so much.

He seemed like an average guy...

According to real history he was normal.

all we know is that he was a traveling hellenistic teacher of judaism who was baptized and ticked off the pharisees and romans and was crucified for it.

nothing can be said with certainty beyond that

Why do you think Jesus was important?

The guy made the scene when a new religion was needed. he became a martyr for his selflessness and his beliefs that kick started the christian movement.

had the christian movement not taken off he would not be the part of history we see today.

I think without Constantine how famous jesus might be is a good question

 

[BruceDLimber]

So, is the Eastern Orthodox non-trinitarian?

Not to my knowledge, no.

The split took place over the detailed wording of part of the Nicene Creed concerning whether or not God and the various portions of the "trinity" did or did not posess a certain characteristic. The western church viewed this one way; the eastern the other. As I'm not a theologian, I'll refer you to others for the details.

Peace,

Bruce

 

[James Humphreys]

I believe Jesus was unique in that although a man, he was born without original sin. But to become Lord and Savior, it wasn't enough to be free of the original sin at birth. He also had to be victorious over all of Satan's temptations, (as Adam was unable to do). He became the first perfected man, fully manifesting God's divinity in his heart and actions-the first true Son of God.

It is true that we are all destined to become God's sons and daughters, but that is a hope that has not been realized yet in full.

 

[Katzpur]

So I concluded later on this, If Jesus was just the Son of God, and as the Bible says we all are, then why is Jesus more special than any of us?

Jesus was the "Only Begotten Son" of God. That means that God is His literal Father, just as Mary was His literal Mother (and no, this does not mean that He was conceived through sexual relations). God is the Father of the spirits of all the rest of us, but we have two mortal parents whose physical offspring we are. That would be one reason was Jesus is more special than any of the rest of us.

Because he Resurrected? 9_10s Penguin started a thread about that also, that many people have Resurrected according to the Bible.

The only reason anybody has been or will be resurrected is because of Jesus Christ, referred to in the scriptures as "the firstfruits of them that slept." Had He not been the first to resurrect, no one else would have had life after death either.

He died for our sins? Couldn't anybody? He seemed like an average guy...

No, "anybody" couldn't have. The only person who could have paid the price for somebody else's sins was someone who had no sins himself. The only person who was so qualified was Jesus Christ. It is impossible for anything sinful to exist in the presence of God and the only way sinful beings can have their sins erased is for someone perfect to pay the price for them. Think of it from a mathematical perspective (odd, I know, but it works). If we are finite beings with a negative value (because we have sinned) and Jesus Christ is an infinite being with a positive value (because He had no sins), what is the sum of our value and His value? It's an infinite, positive value. Together, Christ and those for whom He atoned have an infinite, positive value. The sinner is made sinless through Christ's infinite perfection.

Why do you think Jesus was important?

For all of the above reasons, plus being a perfect example for us to emulate.

 

[Muffled]

Last night, I was wondering why "prophets" added the Trinity to the Bible, and the best way of thinking I could do is not why they added it, but what Non-Trinitarians believe from their perspective.

So I concluded later on this, If Jesus was just the Son of God, and as the Bible says we all are, then why is Jesus more special than any of us?

Because he Resurrected? 9_10s Penguin started a thread about that also, that many people have Resurrected according to the Bible.

He died for our sins? Couldn't anybody? He seemed like an average guy...

Why do you think Jesus was important?

Jesus is important because He is God in the flesh.

 

[Muffled]

Jesus wasn't just the son of God, but the son of man, our savior, resurrected Lord, intercessor, and sinless, and sits at the right hand of God. That is much more than a "just".....thanks for referring to us non-Trinitarians as Christians, so many will not.

Jensen

So presuming that you are a Christian because you have a relationship with Jesus, Why haven't you asked Him?

If the presumption is wrong and you are just a cultural Christian, perhaps it is necessary to refer to a real Christian as a born-again Christian.

 

[Jensen]

So presuming that you are a Christian because you have a relationship with Jesus, Why haven't you asked Him?

If the presumption is wrong and you are just a cultural Christian, perhaps it is necessary to refer to a real Christian as a born-again Christian.

Ask him what? I just gave my view, making a statement.

And what is a cultural Christian,haven't heard that term before, what do you mean by it.

Are you saying that born again Christians are the only real Christians? If so, what is a Christian before he is born again?

Jensen

 

[idav]

Why do you think Jesus was important?

The philosophy attributed to jesus was beyond its time in that area and challenged religion. Unfortunately people used that to breed more religions but Jesus didn't seem the type to endorse religion. A lot of good stuff equal to some of the saying attributed to the buddha. The prophets and apostles before and after Jesus can't compete, with or without miracles.

 

[rockstarwife628]

I am a nonTrinitarian Christian who doesn't believe in the idea of Jesus being divine, or that he died for our sins, or that he even actually resurrected. Instead I think he was a great teacher who shows us a way of relating to God, and to our fellow man, who reflects our own inner potential, what we can strive to be. I recognize that he is not the only teacher to offer the message of love and compassion - I recognize other teachers, such as the Buddha and Muhammad (etc) as well - he is just the teacher in who's person and message I have my foundation.

I believe the things attributed to him - the virgin birth, the miracles, the divinity bestowed upon him, the claims of resurrection - were meant to explain the greatness people saw in and experienced through him and his message. It was their way of using the religious/God language they already understood to explain what they felt and saw through him and his message, and not an attempt at literal claims, IMO.