it's sad, that even amongst professing Chrisitians, there is a tendency to do nothing more than think of Jesus as a great moral teacher. CS Lewis once said
"you can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon, or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come up with any patronising nonsense about Him being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to. "
To say what Jesus said and to claim what He claimed about Himself, one couldn't conclude he was just a good moral man or prophet.
Jesus asked two questions in Matthew 16:15.. "who do people say that I am, and who do you say that I am?
The reply? "some say John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah or one of the prophets" Peter replied "you are the Christ, the Son of the Living God"
Now let's look at His claim to be God ( Matthew 16:13-20) from the point of view that it was false.. He either knew it was false, or he didn't know it was false.
He was either deliberately a liar, and therefore a hypocrite, because he told others to be honest no matter what the cost, while he himself tought and lived a colossal lie. He deluded many, because He told them to trust him for their eternal destiny. Lastly he was also a fool, as his claims to be God, led to his crucifixion.
Or he was a lunatic who himself believed the lie he was telling others. It is very possible to be sincere and wrong. But to think himself as God, especially in a fiercly monotheistic culture and then to tell others their eternal destiny depended on believing in him, if it's not true, is pure lunacy in it's fullest sense.
Today, someone would be locked up so he wouldn't hurt himself or others.
The only other possibility.. which is what this thread stated.. and I agree with .. He IS Lord... He is who He claimed to be, and what others KNOW Him as. Read the effects of His teaching around the world. Look at the way lives have been changed by accepting Him. Look at the martyrs around the world willing to die for what they believe.
That all three are possible is obvious, but which one, based on the beliefs of all religions who know Him and what they think of Jesus is the only probable one?
What any of us decide about Jesus is not an intellectual exercise. He is either liar, lunatic or Lord as EC Everett said earlier in the year. All of must make a choice.
The apostle John wrote 'these things have been written that you may believe that Jesus Christ IS the Son of God, and" more important "in believing you may have life in His name" (John 20:31)
Jesus told Peter in Matthew 16: 17 he was blessed as flesh and blood had not revealed that to him.. but only His Father who was in Heaven.
Jesus claimed to be Lord.. what do we think of Him?
Carol