Would you take the word of Joe Shlomo?

Why did the deity have to be a saviour.

Because the savior being essentially human would have opened the door to a bunch of people thinking that maybe they *Didn't* need a deity to save them from their inherent sinfulness. And then the whole appeal of Christianity would be pretty much out the window, now wouldn't it?

The Bible actually says that Jesus laid aside his deity and became fully human- how weird is that?

To fulfill the words of the holy scriptures concerning the Messiah in the old testament. If the early Christians didn't believe in Jesus as the Messiah, the whole concept of salvation would be taken out of Christian belief and all that would be left would be a code of ethics.

In order to bear the sins of the entire world, including those yet to be born.

Christianity is a sequel to Judaism -- and everybody knows that in the sequel, you have to up the ante from the original...

a human could not take on the sins of the world, only Perfection, God is Perfection.. "taking on the sins of the world" was not, could not be, accomplished until AFTER the ressurection.. many of HIS Apostles still did not BELIEVE until HE appeared to them after HIS ascension....Barbara

If you really want an answer to your question about the divinity of Jesus, then here goes. Christianity during Jesus time did not teach that. Matter of fact Jesus even said that after he was gone, many of his teachings would be corrupted. Notice: "I know that after my going away oppressive wolves will enter in among YOU and will not treat the flock with tenderness, 30 and from among YOU yourselves men will rise and speak twisted things to draw away the disciples after themselves." - ACTS 20:29,30 "However, the inspired utterance says definitely that in later periods of time some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to misleading inspired utterances..." - 1 Timothy 4:1 The Trinity Trinity (definition) – That the Father, the Son (Jesus), and holy ghost are all together god, each eternal, each almighty, and none greater of less than the other. The belief that Jesus Christ is god, is based on the idea of the trinity. But if you take a look at the history of this teaching: First the word trinity or the teaching is never found in the bible. Also the Encyclopaedia Britannica says that the belief of the trinity or that Jesus was god or was part of god did not even exist until two to three hundred years after the death of Jesus. The Encyclopedia Americana says - “Fourth century Trinitarianism was a deviation from early Christian teaching.” This teaching was adopted into “Christianity” from pagan religions from Egypt, Babylon, from Hinduism, and even from the philosopher Plato that taught the trinity belief 400 years before Jesus. Finally the trinity became the central teaching of the church not because of the bible but because of the order of the Roman Emperor Constantine who was pagan himself. He really couldn’t care less about bible teachings but only wanted to end the debate between church leaders to keep unity in his kingdom. After he made that decision in the year 381, anyone that openly disagreed with the trinity were violently persecuted or killed with the permission of the church. Back to the Scriptures After that history lesson In reading the bibles record of Jesus, Jesus never claimed to be God or any part of God. Everything he said about himself indicated that he did not consider himself equal to God in any way – not in power, not in knowledge, or age. The bible calls Jesus “the only-begotten Son” of God (John 1:14; 1 John 4:9) - First off, John 1:18 – “No man has seen God at any time…” (The bible says no man has ever seen god but thousands saw and interacted with Jesus during his earthly life.) - God has no beginning and no end. Psalms 90:2 – “…even from time indefinite to time indefinite you are God.” But the bible says that Jesus was “the firstborn of all creation.” (Colossians 1:15) Also see (Revelation 3:14) Unlike God, Jesus was created and had a beginning. - Notice another scripture. When a man came to fall at Jesus’ feet and then called him “Good Teacher”, Jesus said to him at Mark 10:17, 18 “Why do you call me good? Nobody is good, except one, God.” (If Jesus himself was god would that statement make any sense? Jesus always directed any praise to god, not to himself.) - John 14:28 – “The Father is greater than I.” (Jesus talking) - 1 Corinthians 11:3 - “…the head of every man is Christ, the head of a woman is her husband, and the head of Christ is God.” (The bible always talks of God of being superior in power to Jesus.) - Philippians 2:6 – “…Jesus Christ, who, although he was existing in God’s form (as a spirit in heaven) gave no consideration to a seizure, namely, that he should be equal to God.” - Also 1 Timothy 2:5 Says that the disciples viewed Jesus as the “one mediator between God and men,” not as God himself. A mediator is obviously someone separate from those who need mediation, not part of one of the two parties that need mediation. ---That’s just a short list of the many accounts since I did want to make this to long--- But the bible is clear and consistent about the relationship of God to Jesus. Jesus Christ always distinguishes himself from God and showed that he never desired to be seen or worshipped as god. That he only wished to do the will of his father. Consider Psalms 83:18 – “That people may know that you, whose name is Jehovah, You alone are the most high over all the earth.” Isaiah 12:2 – “Look! God is my salvation. I shall trust and be in no dread; for Jah Jehovah is my strength and my might, and he came to be the salvation of me.” Jesus stressed the importance of his father’s name at John 17:26 – “I have made your name known to them and will make it known.” Even in Jesus model prayer: - Matthew 6:9 – “YOU must pray, then, this way: “Our Father in the heavens let your name be sanctified…” Another thing Many people don’t know that when they say Hallelujah, it means “praise Jah” short for Jehovah. Even Jesus’ name itself means “Jehovah is Salvation” The mother of the prophet Moses was named Jochebed, which means “Jehovah Is Glory” The prophet Joel in the bible, his name means, “Jehovah is God” The prophet Elijah in the bible name means “My God Is Jehovah” Isaiah’s name means “Salvation of Jehovah” Hezekiah, Josiah, Nehemiah, Obadiah, Zechariah and Zephaniah all are well-known Bible names whose meanings involve Jehovah, or Jah, the shorter poetic form of Jehovah’s name. Even many people’s names today have Jehovah in their meaning: Johnson means “Jehovah has favored” The name Jonathan means, “Jehovah has given” Joshua means, “Jehovah is salvation” or “Jehovah rescues” Jacqueline, Jackie, Jacquelyn, John and Jack means, “Jehovah has been gracious” Chanya means “The Grace of Jehovah” Kayla means “Jehovah has given” Joey means "Jehovah increases" Jesse means “Jehovah exists” Jeremiah and Jeremy means “appointed by Jehovah” Josiah means “Jehovah supports” Joe or Joesph means “May Jehovah give increase” Jane, Jan, Janelle, Janet, Janice, Janie, Janine, Joan, Joanne, Jodie, Joni, Jonie, Joanna, Johannah all are variations that mean “Jehovah is gracious” One last thing: Also remember that “god” is not a name, it’s a title. Just like “boy” or “king”, “God” and “Lord” are titles, “God” is anything you choose to worship. Your money can be your “God”, your possessions can be a “God”, but the only God the bible points to is Jehovah, God’s name. ---Explanation of pictures--- -The "Christian" Trinity was just a pagan belief that was incorporated into the church hundreds of years after Christ. The pictures are of the Hundu trinity, then the ancient Egyptian trinity, the Babylonian trinity (the circle representing the Son, (or seed) wrapped around the waist of the man representing the Father and the bird portion represents the Holy Spirit), and finally the "Christian" trinity. -An ancient painting of the scene in Nicaea when Emperor Constantine made his decision-

It never said that. In fact, it says just the opposite. It explains that because one man broke the original covenant with God, it would have to be a man, the second adam, who redeemed man and restored the relationship. Romans 5:12-19 NIV 12 Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned-- 13 for before the law was given, sin was in the world. But sin is not taken into account when there is no law. 14 Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who was a pattern of the One to come. 15 But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God's grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! 16 Again, the gift of God is not like the result of the one man's sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification. 17 For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God's abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ. 18 Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men. 19 For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.