The Nature of Jesus

This semester I am taking a course on the History of the Middle East. It is really interesting. It's not often that I will read an eighth edition concise history of anything, so the fact that I look forward to reading what lies between the pages of our required text goes to show that this subject is very interesting. At least to me.

Here is what I have learned. Right now the book is talking about Christianity in early 1st century A.D. Apparently there were many different sects of Christianity. Even then, so close after the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus, people could not get along. Certain sects accused others of heresy, and even went so far as persecuting others for believing differently.

So what exactly did these people believe differently about?

The nature of Jesus. Apparently this was a controversial issue back then. And here is the most likely reason that I find all of this interesting. 1) I am a Christian--in the most modernized sense of the word. And 2) I have been having this same controversy inside my own mind. So it seems here that I am not the only one who has occupied such thoughts. And it also seems here that if, say, I lived in 325 A.D. I would quite possibly be in very much danger of being persecuted (by other fellow Christians) for heresy. This is because in that time there was a Christian group called the Arians. They believed that, although Jesus was "divinely inspired and sired," he was still a man not equivalent to God.

And here is where I utter something that I most likely will not feel free to express anywhere else in this world. (Except to secret and unbeknownst to themselves Arianists who may still be around today.)

Drumroll please.

I have entertained these same thoughts! You know, about the nature of Jesus. Was he God Himself? Was he both perfectly divine, yet the perfect human at the same time? Or was he simply just a man? A human like the rest of us. A man--who possessed the very Spirit of God and was able to tap into the divine power of God. I do believe that Jesus was anointed. How could I not? Yes, he was the Messiah, the savior of the world. Yet he was human. The big question here--a question that people fought over and most likely died over-- is: Was Jesus solely human? Or solely divine? Or was he both--two natures, separate yet combined in the person of Jesus? The first and the last possibility were both beliefs that had been considered heresy at one point in time.

So, it seems kind of important that I know what I should believe on this. Can a person still be a follower of Jesus, yet have a different view on the nature of Jesus from the rest of the majority of Christians? I think that the answer is yes.

You know, when the Orthodox Church persecuted all those other Christians for not claiming that Jesus was completely, ultimately, and solely the God, they were not honoring Jesus. They were not in anyway reflecting the very essence of what Jesus represented. Love. God is love. Jesus is love. And you know what? The entirety of Jesus' message was this: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength. The second is like it, Love your neighbor as yourself. Jesus was the very embodiment of love. God is love. That is God's very nature. God was in Jesus, He was alive in Jesus. But He was no more alive in Jesus than He would like to be in us. Perhaps by holding Jesus up as God Himself, we are suggesting that it isn't possible to be like Jesus at all.

But hear this. Jesus said in John 14:12: "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father."