[Joshua]

Currently I am reading The Case For Christ by Lee Strobel. As I am reading this two separate issues have presented themselves so far. Both of these issues are key points for the WMSCOG so I wish to share them with you. The more you know and understand the better off you will be. 1) The WMS likes to try to make people believe that Jesus never claimed to be God. They stated many times to my loved on that he called himself the Son of Man not the Son of God. (Please feel free to comment on the different times that he actually claimed to be God or the Son of God.) Here's where the research comes in. Jesus definitely said, "Son of Man" and many people like to think that this means his link to being human with all of its frailities and problems. This is true however upon further study we find out that it is in fact also a claim to divinity. In the Old Testamentwe can read the prophet Daniel verses 7:13-14. In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshipped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed. The Jews in Jesus time would have been well aware of what the declaration that Jesus made being the Son of Man really meant. It was/is a declaration of divinity. (I also find it fitting that these scriptures also mention him coming with the clouds of heaven but that probably should be reserved for a different post.) 2) Many people stumble over this point about the time frame of when the apostles rechorded their recollections of the events of Christ life. Arguments have been made that too much time past between the assention and the writtings of Mathew, Mark, Luke, and John. Some people put these writting between 30 and 50 years after the assention of Christ therefore could have become embellished and inacurate as the legened of Jesus grew. From the book I am going to give you what I found. (Please do further research on this for yourself.) Craig Blomberg Phd. is widleyconsidered to be on of the country's foremostauthorities on the biographies of Jesus, which are called the four gospels. In Blomberg's research he points out that if the Crucifixion was as eary as 30A.D. Paul's conversion would have been about 32. Immediately Paul was ushered into Damascus where he met with a Christian named Ananias and some other disciples. His first meeting with the apostles in Jerusalem would have been about 35A.D.. At some point Paul was given this creed, which was being used by the early church. This would have been the facts about Jesus death for our sins, plus a detailed list of those whom Jesus appeared in ressurected form – all dating back to within two to five years of the events themselves. These would have been first person accounts of the life, death, and ressurection of the Christ. There are many historical figures through out history that we accept as historical fact that don't have this kind of first hand accountability. I hope these two points bring you closer to God in your faith and I also hope that you will do your own research to determine the validity of these things for yourself. Keep the faith, Joshua.

[Love'n Honey]

[Love'n Honey]

When jesus said he was the son of man the people around him said he called himself god. everyone understood that the son of man was god in flesh. No, he never said, I am god. But he did equal himself to god by using other phrases such as referring to himself as the son of man and by forgiving people of their sins… per wmscog.