Does it matter what Christians think about Jesus?

It does matter what you believe about Jesus. If you believe Jesus to be a winebibber, you are not believing correctly. Paul wrote, 'If we, or an angel from heaven, bring you another doctrine, let him be accursed.

There are many who will proclaim false doctrines, contrary to the Word of God. They would paint Jesus in such a way to justify their own sin, regardless what the gospel says.

 

Good grief. SFC, I've read many of your posts, and you seem to be hung up on wine and that anyone who disagrees with you must not believe or obey the Word of God.

 

It is not that they have to agree with me, but they do have to agree with God.

 

I hope noone on this board judges the great state of Mississippi by SFC. There are pastors in Mississippi that are great men of God without the "believe as I do or you will burn in hell" attitude. I know first hand because my father is a Missionary Baptist pastor in MS. The two afore mentioned men are very different.

 

I seriously doubt anyone does. No worries there.

 

Hmm ok. I think every true Christian agrees with God and His Word.

 

Of course it matters what Christians think or believe about Christ.

 

I am crucified with Christ: neverthless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain. (Gal 2:20-21)

Either we will be judged according to the law or judged according to whether we accepted God's sacrifice of His son on the cross.
I would say that it definatly matters what we think of Christ. Why would Jesus have asked His disciples, "What think ye of Christ"?

 

All right now, get off Standing Firm's back.

WE can agree to disagree with him without all the sarcasm.

Standing Firm is expressing long held beliefs, that really won't hurt anyone to follow. My father believes exactly the same thing. It is a belief he has held his entire life. Those kind don't soften easily.

In answer to the OP: Yes it does matter what we believe about Christ. Without a clear understanding of who Christ is and what He did for us, there can be no salvation.

 

Christ answered this VERY clearly in John 8:24

"I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am the one I claim to be, you will indeed die in your sins."

What is interesting here is that no English translation I am aware of actually translates what the Greek is here. In this passage Jesus says 'unless you believe ego eimi' -- which, literally, is "I am I AM".

So He is saying that if you don't believe He is God, then you will die in your sins.

That makes what we think of Him rather important...

 

I don't think you have to worry about that. I'm from East Texas and we have our share of devout legalists. I think everybody understands what is going on.

 

Good points. So, would you please explain the following quote from Jesus Christ:

Matthew 11:18-19 (KJV):

“For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a devil. The Son of man came eating and DRINKING, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a WINEBIBBER, a friend of publicans and sinners.” (emphasis mine)

No, Jesus does not admit to being a winebibber. But he does admit to drinking, and the context demands that he is referring to alcohol.

I also have read many of your posts in which you declare any consumption of alcohol sinful. So, did Jesus sin? Or is your doctrine one that Paul described in YOUR quote: 'If we, or an angel from heaven, bring you another doctrine, let him be accursed."?

And who is it, really, in this discussion that "would paint Jesus in such a way to justify their own sin, regardless what the gospel says."

 

Well . . . perhaps it should give you pause if NO english language translation translates that since most translators are very intelligent godly men and women. There is no such thing as a "literal" translation (something everyone who studies Greek will soon realize) but I believe you mean to say if we tried as best as possible simply to covert every Greek work to an English work in which case 'unless you believe ego eimi" would be "unless you believe I am" . . . not "unless you believe I am I AM'. I am not exactly sure why where you are justifying it to be literal to double it.

Now from an intrepretive standpoint, I do believe that Jesus was mirroring the expression "I AM" from the Old Testament to assert his oneness with Yahweh.

 

"ego" is I am, with the emphasis on the subject, the "I".
"eimi" is I am, with the emphasis on the verb, the "am".

Jesus said 'ego eimi.' I am I AM. That's the Greek. Translators have to make choices. They chose not to translate it that way.

 

How can you be a Christian unless you have a belief in the Christ of the Bible? Christology is one of the primary doctrines of orthodoxy.

 

That is not correct. "ego" means "I", not I am. In Greek, you do not need to add a personal pronoun as they are imbedded into the verb, much like spanish. If you do, it is often (thought not always) for emphasis. Ego eimi is "literaly", "I am", with the empahsis on the I. It is NOT "I am I AM". If you were wishing to draw out the empasis on I, you could say, "I myself am", though that borders on intrepration since it may not be in fact emaphasizing the I.

 

My information comes from both Dr. Bernard Northrup who has taught Hebrew and Greek and collaborated on a number of translations of the Bible into different languages around the world as well as from Dr. Sidlow Baxter, who is now deceased, but was a recognized authority.

 

My information comes from any Greek Grammer or Lexicon of your choosing. There are also English Greek dictionaries in the back of many Greek texts. They will all say the same thing, ego is the first person personal pronoun. Look at BAGD (the standard Greek Lexicon for Biblical studies) or any lexicon for that matter to verify.

Or you could look at ego used in context in any of the verses in appears.

John 15:16, "you did not choose me, but ego choose you" (is that I choose you, or I am choose you?)

Rev 3:9, "ego have loved you" is "I have loved you", not "I am have loved you"

Or perhaps if that is not convincing you may wish to look at Luke 1:18

"Zachariah said to the angel, "ego eimi old man"
WHAT??? Did Zachariah just claim to be Yahweh himself!

I think you got confused by your professors. It is a standard intrepretain and one the I ascribe to that Jesus here is related back to the one who spoke to Moses. It is solidified by John 8:58, where Jesus says, "before Abraham was, I am (ego eimi)" which seems to mirror the I AM since it would have made more sense to say, before Abraham was, I was, I already was, etc. This is an arguement from silence but given what we know about Jesus in the rest of scripture, it is a good one.

 

I'm very concernd with both sides belief's. If anyone can, please respond to this agnostic's opinions: