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NASB | John 17:3 "This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | John 17:3 "Now this is eternal life: that they may know You, the only true [supreme and sovereign] God, and [in the same manner know] Jesus [as the] Christ whom You have sent. |
Subject: What do we need to know about God |
Bible Note: jamison- may I recommend that you reread Azure's post. You wrote: "it stands to reason that Jesus answered his question". The point here is that attempting to reason without considering context is not a ratinoal approach when trying to discern the message. Consider some important points here including the following. 1. The man confessed to have followed the commandments since his youth. Answer: We know, as did Christ, that this was an impossibility. 2. Was Jesus telling the man that following the commandments and then selling all he had and distributing it to the poor would earn him Heanen? Answer, if you believe that then you rule out that salvation is through Christ and Him alone. One would be advocating salvation by works. Jesus asked the young man an important question. "Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone". That's the beginning of the immediate context. Christ then refers to the law, which no man can fully keep. Continue to consider the context. The young ruler never misses a beat. In his own praise of himself he confesses to have kept the law. Christ knew better of course, so why the statement about the man's riches? Was Jesus giving the man a formula for salvation? 1. Follow these commandments. 2. Sell everything you own. 3. Distribute the profits of your sell to the poor. 4. Follow me Of course not and there is no way to rationally draw that conclusion from scripture. Christ was not telling the man how to get to Heaven. He was clearly showing the man the condition of his own heart. He was self-righteous and not willing to part from his earthly riches. Even if Heaven were available to him for a price (which it was and is not), the man was not willing to pay it. By the way, if we "step outside the box of standard theology.." where do you think we would be standing??? Isn't that a dangerous and scary place to go? God bless, Jeff |