Paul's God

[Elijah John]

Granted, Paul never comes out and says "Christ is God" or "Christ is my God". But for all intents and purposes, he may as well have.

Consider:

-"I can do all thing through Christ who strengthens me".
-"For me to live is Christ and to die is gain".
-"It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me"

And I'm sure there are other examples of where Paul put's Christ in God's place.

These hypothetical alternatives may illuminate. Consider, if Paul had said instead:

-"I can do all things though YHVH, who strengthens me"
-"For me to live is YHVH, and to die is gain""
-"It is no longer I who live, but YHVH who lives in me"

Or, more generically,

-"I can do all things though God who strengthens me"
-"For me to live is God, and to die is gain"
-"It is no longer I who live, but God who lives in me"

Jehovah's Witnesses and others insist that Paul does not worship Christ, nor does he consider him "God".

a) But don't these examples illustrate that indeed, for all practical purposes, whether or not Paul called Christ "God", Paul's God was actually "Christ"?

b) And that he really only paid lip service to the Father on the relatively rare occasions where he mentions the Father at all?

c) Where does Paul ever place the name of Jehovah above the name of Jesus Christ?

d) Why do Jehovah's Witnesses consider Paul authoritative when he was really a "Christ Witness" and in no way a witness for Jehovah?

e) And doesn't Paul's emphasis once again prove the Thomas Paine claim that "instead of God, a man is preached" ?

f) If it turns out that Christ is not God, was Paul in effect, an idolator?

Please address any combo of the above.

[Peds nurse]

[Replying to post 7 by Peds nurse]

we have to be careful not to let his divinity separate him from humanity.

I agree, he was divine, in human form. A very good point to remember.

[brianbbs67]

Again, I would point out, does it matter if Christ was God or just a Divine instrument? Would not the Creator know that some would think he was? Even if they were only one in spirit? (Christ and YHVH)

[Elijah John]

Again, I would point out, does it matter if Christ was God or just a Divine instrument? Would not the Creator know that some would think he was? Even if they were only one in spirit? (Christ and YHVH)

He would know it, but just because God knows something does not mean He endorses it, or approves of it.

Nonetheless, it seems God does accept Trintiarianism as a means of connecting with Him. I have seen the fruits of the Spirit in the lives of those who believe Jesus is God.

But I have also seen those fruits in the lives of absolute Monotheists, like Muslims and Jews.