Salamander said:
I Timothy 2:5
"one God, the man Christ Jesus"
Sal has attempted to use this mutilated editing of I Timothy 2:5 as proof for the Deity of Christ. Christ Jesus the man
is also fully God, and verse five
is loaded with wonderful theology; however, the Deity of Christ is
NOT one of the teachings here. In context (1 Timothy 2:1-6, KJV) --
I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, [and] giving of thanks, be made for all men;
For kings, and [for] all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.
For this [is] good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;
Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.
For [there is] one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.
Paul exhorts believers that prayers ought be made for all people (including our earthly leaders) because it is pleasing to God (vs. 1-3). God (the antecedent of "Who") wants all people to come to salvation (v.4). Verse five then describes two reasons why salvation and prayer should be "for" every person because: 1) there is only one God, and 2) there is only one Mediator.
First, that there is only one God (an OT precept) is also the teaching in Romans where Paul explains that the only God of creation, the one true God of the Jews, must logically also be the God of the Gentiles. God is the God of saved and the lost; there are not many 'gods'. This is simply the teaching of the first phrase of verse five.
Second, Jesus said of Himself that He was the one and only Way, the only Truth, the one Life and "no man cometh unto the Father, but by me" (John 14:6) showing that Jesus is that one Mediator (the second theological truth of v.5). Throughout the letter of 1 Timothy, Paul uses "God" as God the Father and "Jesus" as God the Son (Second Person of the Trinity). The third and fourth truths of v.5 are that Jesus was human, and the Messiah.
There is a lot of theology packed into this short verse. 1 Timothy 2:5 directly supports four doctrines, none of which are the Deity of Christ. In fact, at least two of these truths display Christ as being distinctly different (in His separate role as Mediator and also as the Person that became human) from God. God the Father is
not His own mediator (illogical). The entire Godhead (Trinity) did
not become human; only the Son (see other scriptures).
BTW, how should we pray? We pray to God ("Our Father,..." as Jesus taught) in or through Jesus' name (our Mediator-Priest). Two Personalities of the Godhead with two different roles.
Salamander said:
He is God. He is Saviour. He is the mediator between God and man. He is Jesus
In 1 Timothy 2:5, God the Father (not Jesus) is "God", Jesus (not God) is the "mediator", and "Jesus" (not God the Father or the Trinity) is a man. This verse doesn't specifically teach that Jesus is God; but it doesn't teach that He isn't God either. {God (not Jesus) is "Saviour" is found in verse 4. Wow, there it is!}
Salamander said:
See? Nothing hard about that!
It must be hard because you failed (and the "challenge" was for five). Try reading passages with comprehension, instead of trying to force your preconceptions on the text.