When he talks of a "Jesus-looking God", he's referring to the fact that Jesus is what God looks like. Often we take depictions of who God is that look nothing like what is revealed through the exact representation of God's nature...Jesus Christ, and apply those to God. It's really something he goes in depth about in his masterful work Crucifixion of the Warrior God (or the condensed version - Cross Vision).swimmerbabe11 said:
the phrase "Jesus-looking God" kind of bothers me.
I am not sure I have the words to explain why... perhaps.. as a traditional, high church type of gal, who likes "structured religion" ... maybe I feel like he is saying that the God that I worship doesn't look like Jesus?
I know he is more addressing the America-centric type of churches.. but still.
Also, I really want to know if he watches sports and talks across the table with that body language.. WATCH YOUR DRINKS PEOPLE, GREG BOYD'S TEAM JUST SCORED A TD!
I don't see it as condensing God to "Christ only", but the Scriptures tell us that Christ is the exact representation of God. Not that the Holy Spirit isn't or that they look any different, but Christ in the flesh is the clearest picture man has of what God truly looks like.Quote:
I think I don't like the condensing of God to Christ only.
We also see this reinforced, IMO, in the 10th chapter when the author of Hebrews refers to the Law as a shadow. An analogy I've found useful is with shadow puppets on a wall. Before Jesus, we saw the shadow and swore it was a dog that was casting that shadow. We weren't purposely wrong or misrepresenting. We were going by what we could see at the time. Christ comes and, especially on the cross, reveals that it wasn't a dog, but it was His hands forming the shadow. Christ reveals the truth behind the shadow.Quote:
God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world. And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power.
I'd be down, although I'm in CS now. And heck, you're probably the nicest person around these parts. Admittedly, we've also set a pretty low bar in that department.swimmerbabe11 said:
You people think I am way nicer than I am.
One of these days we really need to organize a Houston hh
PacifistAg said:
What part of town are you at? Will definitely need to get together. Ever go to Aggie baseball games?
Well, we are supposed to be imitators of Christ. It may be a weak imitation, but it's far better than no imitation. And I would vehemently disagree that the world won't be transformed. The early Church transformed the Roman Empire. Sadly, we saw the Roman Empire turn around and distort the Church w/ the lure of political power, but it's folly to deny the transformative power of the Spirit here and now.UTExan said:
The world won't be transformed until Jesus returns and sets up his kingdom, dispensing God-centered justice. Anything else is a weak imitation.
We are actually in Lexington for Aggie baseball as I type. And I live out in the woods right past Easterwood with a septic tan, propane, deer, wild hogs, guns, and Bibles. All I need is a still.PacifistAg said:
What part of town are you at? Will definitely need to get together. Ever go to Aggie baseball games?
Exact representation is the phrase used, and I agree that Jesus is God. Jesus reveals God's nature to us, as He is an exact representation of God's nature. If God's nature looks different than what Jesus reveals Him to, then Jesus is not an exact representation of His nature, as Scripture claims.ramblin_ag02 said:
Exact representation is an oxymoron. Representations are by definition limited expressions of a thing.
Jesus isn't a representation of God and limited. He is God. But again, during His earthly life He was meek and suffering. Are you saying that God the Father is meek?
Lucky! Lexington is a nice area.dermdoc said:We are actually in Lexington for Aggie baseball as I type. And I live out in the woods right past Easterwood with a septic tan, propane, deer, wild hogs, guns, and Bibles. All I need is a still.PacifistAg said:
What part of town are you at? Will definitely need to get together. Ever go to Aggie baseball games?
Second time here as we were here when Acie Law took us to the Sweet sixteen. Buffalo Trace tour today and baseball tonight.PacifistAg said:Lucky! Lexington is a nice area.dermdoc said:We are actually in Lexington for Aggie baseball as I type. And I live out in the woods right past Easterwood with a septic tan, propane, deer, wild hogs, guns, and Bibles. All I need is a still.PacifistAg said:
What part of town are you at? Will definitely need to get together. Ever go to Aggie baseball games?
PacifistAg said:Well, we are supposed to be imitators of Christ. It may be a weak imitation, but it's far better than no imitation. And I would vehemently disagree that the world won't be transformed. The early Church transformed the Roman Empire. Sadly, we saw the Roman Empire turn around and distort the Church w/ the lure of political power, but it's folly to deny the transformative power of the Spirit here and now.UTExan said:
The world won't be transformed until Jesus returns and sets up his kingdom, dispensing God-centered justice. Anything else is a weak imitation.
This seems to have a very low view of the transformative power of the Spirit working through the Church here and now.
I didn't say a low view of the church. It's a low view of the transformative power of the Spirit working through the Church. Yes, human beings are flawed. That's where the transformation comes in. We've seen it before, and we can't be a witness to that Kingdom if we hide behind the fact that we're flawed.Quote:
Not a low view of the church so much as a perspective that human beings are inherently flawed and capable of great evil.
Making disciples is what we're charged to do. That requires transformation. It's not about saying a prayer, then moving on and rationalizing our failures by claiming "meh, we're inherently flawed humans".Quote:
Winning souls to Jesus Christ OTOH is a very desirable thing.
dermdoc said:Second time here as we were here when Acie Law took us to the Sweet sixteen. Buffalo Trace tour today and baseball tonight.PacifistAg said:Lucky! Lexington is a nice area.dermdoc said:We are actually in Lexington for Aggie baseball as I type. And I live out in the woods right past Easterwood with a septic tan, propane, deer, wild hogs, guns, and Bibles. All I need is a still.PacifistAg said:
What part of town are you at? Will definitely need to get together. Ever go to Aggie baseball games?
swimmerbabe11 said:
There is a gorgeous old Lutheran church there that I love and used to visit pretty often in a past life. Feels like a lifetime ago.
Is he lying, or is it a lie that God's character is different from Jesus?Bryanisbest said:
He is trying to counteract the fact that most of Christianity thinks God's character is different from Jesus. This is a huge lie.