found 5 items matching Matthew 16.16
A Christological Confession [7 pages]
by Anthony Buzzard rated at 1.6 (6 votes so far)
At a time when theological literature emphasizes a plurality of Christologies within the New Testament canon, we should not forget that, despite differences of emphasis, there is a common confession throughout all the New Testament documents which embeds itself in the statement that Jesus is the Messiah.
Does Everyone Believe in the Trinity [11 pages]
by Anthony Buzzard rated at 1.4 (6 votes so far)
It is customary for students of the Bible to refer to Jesus as God and to insist that belief in a Trinity of three co-equal, co-eternal Persons in the One God is the hallmark of true faith. Many recognized Bible scholars do not think, however, that Jesus is called God, in a Trinitarian sense, in the Scriptures. Distinguished experts on the Bible, past and present, maintain that the doctrine of a Tri-personal God is nowhere taught in Scripture.
The Doctrine of God and Christ [52:40]
by Steve Katsaras rated at 2.0 (7 votes so far)
Citing more than 60 verses, Steve Katsaras of Australia thoroughly explains the biblical doctrines of God and Christ before telling the story of how these truths were corrupted in the ecumenical counsels of the fourth and fifth centuries.
Yahweh is one, not two or three, and there is no God besides him. The Bible uses singular pronouns in reference to God thousands upon thousands of time, a fact that clearly teaches God is a singular individual. This one God is the eternal, omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent creator of heaven and earth.
Jesus is the human mediator who called God his Father. Jesus had a beginning in time and is the miraculously born son of God. Jesus recognized his Father as the only true God who was his superior. Jesus admitted to possessing limited knowledge; he was a mortal man who experienced temptation, hunger, thirst, weariness, suffering, death, and resurrection.
The doctrines of God and Christ mutated over time and continued to develop in new and unbiblical ways after the New Testament was written. Steve talks about the first four ecumenical counsels (Nicea in a.d. 325, Constantinople in a.d. 381, Ephesus in a.d. 431, and Chalcedon in a.d. 451) to demonstrate how these doctrines evolved over time.
The Nature of Preexistence in the New Testament [12 pages]
by Anthony Buzzard rated at 2.0 (7 votes so far)
The so-called "preexistence" of Jesus in John refers to his "existence" in the Plan of God. The church has been plagued by the introduction of non-biblical language. There is a perfectly good word for "real" preexistence in the Greek language (pro-uparchon). It is very significant that it appears nowhere in Scripture, but it does in the writings of Greek church fathers of the second century. These Greek commentators on Scripture failed to understand the Hebrew categories of thought in which the New Testament is written.
According to Jesus, God is Strictly One Person, not Three. [1 page]
by Anthony Buzzard rated at 1.6 (6 votes so far)
According to Jesus, God is strictly one Person, not three. Christians who value Jesus as the supreme revealer of truth should consider his classic words, uttered in a final prayer. "You, Father, are the only one who is truly God" (John 17:3). He defined salvation as belief in that One and only true God, and in himself as the Messiah (John 17:3). It is a serious hijacking of the words of Jesus if one adds to Jesus' creed. For Jesus, his Father is "the one who alone is truly God, the only one who is truly God, the one true God" (see also John 5:44 and Mark 12:29).
books
These books, written by people from diverse backgrounds, express the simple truth that God is one. Some of them are more scholary while others are more autobiographical. In addition, a few of them are available to read online. If you would like more in depth treatment of christian monotheism, these books are the next step to take. Note: if you know of other books, not listed here, please leave us feedback.