Questions For Christians
By Hanifah
@Hanifah (38)
United States
January 10, 2007 6:24pm CST
I am a firm believer in God and in Islam and yes I am Muslim. I am aware of the basic beliefs of christianty but have some Questions:
1. If God created everything, How is Jesus God when everything was already created before Jesus was even born?
2. If Jesus died on the cross for your sins does that mean your not accountable for your actions?
3. If Jesus is God, Then who was he praying to?
4. What is the point of God splitting himself in three (father, son , holy spirit)?
Im not trying to offend anyone just curious to know.
4 people like this
21 responses
@jeffaim (215)
• United States
11 Jan 07
I'm not a religious expert, but I will try to answer your questions. 1) Jesus was the son of God, basically created to carry his spirit in human form. Christianity came out of Judaism, and most Jews believe that Jesus existed, but was not the son of God, merely a prophet, like Mohammed. Christians believe that God created the heavens and the earth in six days, but do not believe that his creation stopped at that point - his creation of Jesus came at a time when God felt the world needed to see him/her/it in human form. 2)Jesus and his message of forgiveness of sins does not mean that Christians are not accountable for their actions - it merely means that they are promised forgiveness for their sins if they truly repent (they are sorry and attempt to make amends to atone for their sins). 3) Jesus was God in human form, and was praying to his father, God in heaven. 4)This has always been confusing to me. I think it basically shows God's three ways of showing himself - the father/creator, the son/human, and the spiritual essence that can be found here on earth but not in a tangible form. I hope this helps your understanding, and that people will give some more information wherever I might be wrong! Since there are so many different types of Christians, I'm sure that there will be different answers!
1 person likes this
@malaekat2an (526)
• Indonesia
11 Jan 07
i agree with number 1 & 2, and i would like to add comment on number 3 and 4.
Yes, Jesus is praying to His Father, because Jesus is 100% God and also 100% human, as a human, He prays ... and to pray means to communicate, of course Jesus need to communicate because He is in human form, separated from God (the Father).
and about Trinity ... it's more about three form in unity ... The Father is so holy, as light cannot be blend with dark (sin) that's why Jesus came to this world. And Holy Spirit is a "helper" (John 14:16-17) to assist us in this world.
@myl2006 (84)
• Malaysia
11 Jan 07
1.Which one is true, Jesus son of god or not son of god?
2. If this HOLY spirit carry in the human body, it not holy spirit anymore, human body full with dirty thing, human head full with bad thinking which will create bad action.
3. If holy spirit stay in human body it become spirit of bad and good. It mean god also bad and good.
4. If human feel he doing a sin action, he no need others to pray for him, in his body already have holy spirit, but how the human do the sin action while in his body have good spirit, what is the purpose of holy spirit put in human body if it cannot help human to do good thing...The man itself have the right to talk to god about his sin because he know more than father who become a link between him and god. The father don't know whether that man saying the truth or not.
@buenavida (9984)
• Sweden
11 Jan 07
You have really some interesting questions and I believe the answers you have got make everything even more confusing. So why not start studying what the Bible really teaches.
First we have to find a translation that follows the original scriptures which were in Hebrew, Arameic and Greek.
When the Bible is correctly translated, many misunderstandings get cleared up just by reading what the original scriptures say.
I suggest you compare the New World Translation that follows the original scriptures as close as it is possible, with other translations. You find it online here:
www.watchtower.org/e/bible/index.htm
You will also find a lot of biblestudy material on this site that will answer your questions.
@arseniajoaquin (1732)
• Philippines
11 Jan 07
I am a translator of the Word of God from Greek to English and I have already published THE WILL New Testament (Greek to English) which is a translation of THE GREEK NEW TESTAMENT, Fourth Revised Edition, and GENESIS & EXODUS (Greek to English) from the Septuagint or LXX (Greek Old Testament). I translated the Word of God PLAINLY - Greek word to its equivalent English word.
I requested to add THE WILL to the e-Sword but I don't know how and I'm not as yet given the permission to add it as a module. I hope you consider THE WILL in your comparison.
@Naseem00 (1996)
• Pakistan
11 Jan 07
I like to add another question to those you have asked. This always keeps me bugging in my mind. What I do not understand is , why there are so many versions of Bible. I understand the gospels were written in Aramic language. So were the scriptures by John, Mathew and Luke. But all this was in Aramic language. Just where are theoriginal scriptures kept. How do we know the Bible christians believe in today is the same as revealed to Jesus or writteb by his collegues.
I hope somebody can come up with a satisfying answer.
@DavidReedy (2378)
• United States
11 Jan 07
Well, we know that we don't have the full story because, the council of Nicea (in ancient Roman times) had over 100 gospels to work with. We got stuck with four. And there's so much more that was lost in time and through the cultural changes...
@ComputerK1ng (79)
• United States
11 Jan 07
I belive if you follow whatever the bible says reguardless if it has been changed, you will not be punished. Why would God punish us for something someone else done. He would'nt!
@kathy77 (7486)
• Australia
11 Jan 07
How can you be a firm believer in God, if you are a Muslim, as they have very different teaching in their bibles, firstly for us christian that is the bible and the Muslim believe in the Koran, I understand that you do not understand the bible from your first question, as God did create everything, in the beginning, I think it best if you could get a bible and read it and maybe then you would understand more. No it does not mean that anyone is not accountable for their sins.
@Hanifah (38)
• United States
11 Jan 07
Just to let you know your comment seemed a little hostile but anyway What do you mean how can I be a firm believer in God and Im a muslim? Muslims believe in God if your referring to the word Allah then there is a misconception that Muslims worship some other God or Muslims have their own personal God or something which is not true. There is only one God that created everything and Allah is the arabic term for God. And there are so many different versions of the bible which one exactly do you suggest.
@Hanifah (38)
• United States
11 Jan 07
And also as Muslims we are commanded by God to believe in the Torah, Psalms, Bible, and The Qur'an but all the books before the Qur'an have been changed by man except for the Qur'an every practicing Muslim recites the same Quran everyday in their salat since over 1400 yrs ago unchanged.
@myl2006 (84)
• Malaysia
11 Jan 07
Christian was create by human not by god that why any statement written in bible full with doubt. Why bible must have difference type-old testamen and new testamen. If you follow the bible history, you will found some gap,who write old testamen, who wrote new testament, their year of written also difference, Does Jesus born several time to write those bible.......
@cuhmeal (13)
• United States
11 Jan 07
There's a whole lot to respond to...some I disagree with and some I can agree with. To start off, I think, Hanifah, your question has been very well responded to. I think it's very hard to ask a question about Christianity when it, in fact, Christianity means simply to believe in Christ..whether you think He is also God or not. As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, I can answer according to the doctrine found in my own church.
1-I believe that under God's direction, Jesus Christ created the earth (Ephesians 3:9). Even though He had not been born yet, He existed before His birth (Jeremiah 1:5 speaks of God knowing Jeremiah before he was born).
2-This one's been answered enough...through constant repentance we can be made clean. Christ is our advocate with the Father. It takes our works to receive forgiveness.
3- My beliefs are that Jesus is the Son of God..and entirely separate being, but He and the Father are one in unity..someone's said this before. This is where the Bible contradicts itself and it takes our own study and prayer to come to our own conclusion. (John 17:22 Jesus prays in the Great Intercessory Prayer that the disciples might be one as He and the Father are one...why would He pray for his if He and God were the same being? How could all the disciples merge into one being?)
4- God didn't split Himself into three. There have always existed the three distinct and separate beings that all work together in unity.
1 person likes this
@zotopec (307)
• Pakistan
11 Jan 07
I am a Moslem and I think I should contribute to this discussion. Christians dont call Christ God in its true sense. They do believe there is a God who is invisible and what they call Holy Spirit is Prophethood in Islam. It is written in Hadiths that the light of Prophethood kept transferring from one Prophet to another and ended in our beloved Holy Prophet Mohammed(PBUH). When it entered the body of Christ on his turn, this essence of Prophethood was mistaken as Godliness by some who described it in their own ways. Just remember one thing if we dont believe in Christ, our faith does not complete, If we exaggerate any prophet, we will be questioned and if we put slight to any prophet we will be questioned so. And, for God's Holy Sake, dont say that he was crossed...Holy Quran tells us in straight words that he was picked up towards heavens and not a single soul could even get close to him. It was someone else they crossed, a companion of his.This is the same story but with only different names and methods. Father:God Himself, Son: Prophet, Holy Spirit: Angel Gabriel. Christians are only missing in their faith in Holy Prophet Mohammed(PBUH). Because of the people prior to Islam negating any new message of God, God made this part of our faith to have faith in all ancient prophets, because the light of prophethood had been in all prophets in their times.
@chimex4real2k2 (1853)
• Nigeria
11 Jan 07
1. there are three persons in one GOD GOd the father, the son(JESUS) and the holy spirit.he existed with GOd before the creation of the world.
2.We are all accountable for our actions but instead of sacrificing bulls and rams JESUS offered himself as a living sacrifice to pay for our sins so that we are forgiven through him.
3. He was praying to GOD which is his father.
4. The mystery of the trinity man cannot explain only GOD can..
@myl2006 (84)
• Malaysia
11 Jan 07
What is the task of god the father, the son and holy spirit?
Why are there only split to three, not 4, 5,or million?
What is the hirarkhy to those 3 god. Who on top....
The son/jesus create by god the father, who create the god father, who create the holy spirit?
@Celanith (2327)
• United States
11 Jan 07
1.Jesus Christ is the son of God, before he became Christ he was the Word, Genisis 1:26 Let US make man in OUR image, God the Father and the word. Hebrews chapter 5 explains further who Christ was before he emptied himself of his divinity to become human. I know that some do not believe this but Reveleation 1:1 also backs this up. He then became God again still the son of God but not God the father. I could give more scripture but too much room would be taken.
2. Jesus was the Word, before he was Jesus and he and the father conferred on creation, thus the let US make man in OUR image in Genisis 1;26 see answer 1.
3. We are accountable for our sins, we can repent of them and be forgiven but we still are accountable for them if we choose to do wrong and are not contrite
4.Jesus said, He came to reveal the Father Luke 10:22
5. God did not split himself into three, God is the Father, seperate from Christ who before becoming Christ was Melchizadek. thus Genesis 1:26. The holy spirit is a power, an essence extending from the God family.
6. God plans on adding to his family, Romans 8:16-17, Ephesians 3:6, Galations 4:7, The splitting into three and rolled into one is a Catholic myth. If you really want to know then get a NIV or NKJ bible and a concordance and Pray for guidance to lead you to the real truth, do not ever beleive any man or woman, not even me. Just prove things to yourself.
@lauczi (962)
• Poland
11 Jan 07
Q 1: God is allmighty can do all can be in human body can be a flower simpky he is the boss and in this world can do everything. it is no problem to be born in human body and live among people if that is his wish.
Q 2: it means that God loves us although me make sins, and it is all already forgiven in his heart.
Q 3: good point. as Jesus was modest person he didnt want to make a star from himself, and teaached people not to be selfish and always recognise somebody above them.
Q 4: I dont know this, but it must have sens if it happened
I dont understand why Muslims try so hard to show all the world that Jesus wasnt a god but normal person. Did he ever something bad to u? were his Teaching offended to u? i dont think so
@Hanifah (38)
• United States
11 Jan 07
I wasn't trying to offend anyone I was just asking simple questions about another faith. And to answer your questions: Yes I do think that Jesus was a Human being just like anyone else and no He wasn't just a normal person he was special just like all the rest of the Prophets.No he didn't ever do anything bad to me and of course his teachings didn't offend me because I am following what he taught which is also the same teachings as other Prophets which is to worship God Alone without associating any partners with him.
@berlynn1975 (737)
• United States
16 Jan 07
Hi Hanifah. I see a lot of people have given you some good answers. I recommend a book, "Miracle of Miracles" by Mina Nevisa and edited by Jim Croft, you can find it on Amazon.com or by Googling it.
I would answer #1 w/saying, God always was, and is... around the time of the New Testement, things on Earth were getting out of hand and God, in a way - as a miracle, separated himself into human form to walk the Earth and live amongst God's children. He's God, He can do whatever He wants!
#2 Christians are totally accountable for our actions. But, with the grace of God, and through Jesus paying the price, the sacrifice, we will be forgiven with sincere repenting and asking His forgiveness.
#3 Jesus has prayed to God, His Father, in human form asking the Holy Spirit for help.
#4 God split himself into 3, I believe, for easier human understanding.
I definitely didn't think you were being offensive. People can always ask questions and/or opinions, etc.
I think it's hard for non-Christians to understand the Trinity and the fact that we are not into polytheism and we serve only 1 God.
Hopefully this was helpful to some extent. A lot of things are hard to comprehend. However, I believe in the Bible as God's Word and take it knowing that it was documented and written throughDivine inspiration by Him.
@jackslaiter (371)
• India
11 Jan 07
I don't see anyymore doubt left unanswered. Many people have given perfect answers with logic which were very informative. I am neither christian nor Muslim,i am aHINDU, a firm believer in GOD. Yet there are always questions with our and other religions...and its very good if get answers for that in a health way and without any enemity kind of feeling. I hope HANIFAH had put this discussion to get answers to his doubts that were genuine.
@tocika (970)
• Romania
11 Jan 07
I'll try to give u responses at your questions.
1.God father created all before God-sun came on this Earth.
2.We can make all with Gods help,because God helps us to resolve our problems.
3.Jesus is God son so he is praying to God father.
4.You can found an answer at number 3.
I hope that you understand something from all my answers.
@navaneeth (132)
• India
11 Jan 07
it seems to me that youre confused about reality. let me try and clear it up for you.
first of all, jesus is not god. hes the son of living god. god sent jesus to the earth because they(people) were waiting for the messaih according to the prophecy foretold. jesus was to show the people the truth about life, prevent them from commiting sins, and show them the path to heaven.
then, jesus did die on the cross for our sins.but its because he loved us so much. it doesnt mean that one should keep commiting sins and that person will be forgiven. one should try to lead a good life without deceit, malice ,adultery etc.
@felicitydee (53)
• United States
11 Jan 07
I think those are some very good questions. Also, after reading some of the responses, I agree mostly with what the first poster said. And I think that it was the most clear answer as well. And like someone else said, make sure that if you are still feeling like you have questions, read the Bible and pray for God to help you understand His word and His will! God bless!
@sweetaspie52 (2359)
• United States
11 Jan 07
I will not agree or disagree with the ones that have posted a comment on this all I can say is to read your BIBLE King James Version and beleive in what you believe everyone has differnt beliefs and I do believe that God,Jesus and the Holy Spirit is all one person...as a child my mother was ashed the same question her responce was when you are borned you are a baby then you become a child and you grow up to become a parent then you become a grandparent BUT you are still the same person I hope that this helps
@delhirockz (569)
• India
11 Jan 07
If you are a muslim which i think you are then believe in what you are
There is only one god that is allah
Jesus was a prophet
there is nothing like father son and the holy spirit
@Gannamede (4)
• United States
11 Jan 07
Jesus NEVER claimed to be "God", NEVER!!!!!!!!!!! That is a misinterpretation by those who actually know nothing of real Christianity. He did say "I am in my father and my father is in me, we are one". That is the very foundation of all Pagan beliefs, (genuine Christianity is pure Paganism) the extraordinary contortions the church goes to in order to deny it's very roots is now recognized as the beginning of the end for church based "religion". In it's efforts to meld two distinctly different belief systems into one it takes selected parts of one and corrupts the other with arguments that cannot ever be resolved. Judaism recognized even before it's own development that Paganism was the most powerful of all the mystery disciplines, and therefore banned it's study in order to protect it's own worldly interests. That's perfectly understandable, but the problem arose when Bacon decided to put both systems together in the same book (the KJV bible.) There is a very good reason he did that, but it's completely over the head of the "protester" church which the lawyer Martin Luther started. No real Christian claims Jesus as a God, that would be an outrageous blasphemy, he was very plainly a "christ" and said clearly and directly that all the things he did could be done by anyone who learns the mysteries. The rubbish taught by so-called "churches" has almost no resemblance to what Jesus himself taught, and despite that being made absolutely clear by Jesus himself it is almost incredibly ignored by the unlearned pushers of what is now known as "churchianity". If you would know more fully what Jesus himself taught you MUST first study Paganism, otherwise you are the blind being led by the blind. BELIEVE IT!
@uath13 (8192)
• United States
11 Jan 07
1. Jesus is not god, he's gods son.
2. Basically, so long as you repent on your deathbed... Don't ask me how thats supposed to work out, i didn't get it either. Or why his son would have to die in order for us to recieve forgiveness, sounds like poor parenting.
3. He's not god, he was talking to his father.
4. He didn't split himspelf. its the fater sone, and a spirti of enlightment that filled the deciples.