Here’s something you might consider working on, if indeed you have turned the leaf…

Insult:

“I felt like I had been kicking a puppy for peeing on the carpet. I should have recognized the fact that the poor thing didn’t know any better.”

Backpedal from the insult:

“I honestly don’t mean that in a derogatory way.”

That’s being duplicitous. That’s being passive/aggressive. That’s being beset by two (at least) spirits. That you imagine yourself the bearer of plausible deniability is utterly immaterial to the observation.

“…for one representing the One True God. I’m certain none of you will disagree.”

Be less certain. Don’t presume to think or to speak for others. There are those of us who do not agree with you.

“I was way out of line in my expectations of you and my subsequent responses to you regarding scripture.”

Hence; insult/backpedal from the insult. You here insinuate that yours is the position of superiority, and that you condescend to apologize to me because you now realize you misjudged my level of scriptural comprehension. And is this your attempt at being ‘diplomatic’? Not very impressive, thus far. Let us proceed.

“As an ambassador for the incoming government of God…”

Brother, you are recklessly presumptuous. Not even the Apostle Paul was as sure of his place in the coming Kingdom. How dare you?

“I truly want to purchase your attentiveness through a mutual desire to please our Father in Heaven rather than to gag you with a shovel full of forced nutrition. Again, I am truly sorry!”

In fairness to you, I am well aware of what you are trying to convey. But your CERTAINTY is appalling. Your presumptuous attitude is repulsive. You need to rethink both your approach and your conduct. You need to imagine how you will be received by other seekers after the Way who have every whit as much reason to believe in their standing with the Most High and with His Messiah as you do. Stop exalting yourself.

“First let me comment on the mistaken concept that Jesus Christ is God Almighty in human form.”

You might try thinking and speaking that idea likewise: ‘First, please allow me to share my belief about the concept of Jesus Christ being God Almighty in human form…’

Continuing, you wrote:

“Whether or not God the Father and Jesus His Son are one in the same makes a humungous difference.”

Of course it makes a huge difference. Because to say that the Son and the Father are one in the same is erroneous. The Son is not the Father and the Father is not the Son. Scripture leaves no room for doubt about that point. What they are is One in Spirit. And they are GOD.

“I would like to offer my insight for those with an eye to see.”

There’s that arrogance we talked about. You say here, in effect, ‘I will say, and if you’re smart enough or wise enough, you will pick up what I’m putting down.’ I suggest to you now, in the sincerest of terms, such a tactic will almost always yield the exact opposite of your intentions. You will serve only to insult and to annoy they very audience you are hoping to implore.

“I would be honored if just one eye were opened wide enough to peer outside the religious box most find themselves in while residing here in Satan’s world.”

And you assume. Religion rarely gets a seat at the table when we discuss matters of Scripture around here, unless it is to excoriate the institution. You are the member of a religious sect or denomination. Most of us are not. Many of us seek only after the Way, and we leave off listening to the words of ANY modern man, or group of men. Please don’t pontificate against religion while yourself resting beneath the shadow of Herbert Armstrong – himself a religionist. You would do best to get out from behind ANY man or group of men when you are trying to follow our Messiah wherever He leads. Armstrong will be an impediment to your progress – if not always, at least at the times when it’s most important.

“Jesus, God’s human son shared His thinking, His mind or the Logos of God.”

I would ask you a very simple question, and you will find me to be most disagreeable if you choose to evade or to refuse an answer. Right now, for you, little else is as important as your answer to the following: What, say you, was Messiah BEFORE He was born to His earthly mother. Where did He reside? Who was He? Did He have existence at all; or did His existence begin at the time of His conception or His birth here in this world. I realize you touch on the point later on in your post, but may we have your very specific answer to that very specific question, please?

“Jesus does not share physical space with God.”

Do you imagine that physical space is a consideration where They reside? Why do you think so?

“The fact is, Jesus never, ever said, implied or inferred in anyway, shape or form that he was God…”

The statement is arguable at best, false at worst. I imagine our direction will take us to an outright debate about this matter, so we’ll leave off the specifics until that time.

“…or even equal to Him.”

Messiah said He was not equal with the Father. He said so in the plainest terms that language will provide. Who argues with that point? Perhaps a Trinitarian would argue. Trinitarians are actually in the minority around here. I, certainly, am no Trinitarian.

“Try to keep in mind as we continue that God is the alpha and omega.”

You’ll have a rough time reckoning that statement with the Book of Revelation, when your game is to argue that Messiah is not God. Just how many King of Kings are there? How many Lord of Lords? How many First and Lasts?

“Jesus on the other hand had both (a beginning and an end).”

Do tell. When was Messiah’s beginning? And when was His end?

“He had a beginning that commenced at birth, he later died and had to be raised by God the Father.”

If you are insinuating that Messiah enjoyed no existence prior to His earthly birth, you are in deep trouble, scripturally speaking. If you are insinuating Messiah had an end with His death in this world, I will tell you to your face: you presume. You speculate. And you misjudge both the nature and the character of death.

“Christ himself did not possess the power or authority to spiritually raise up from that dead corps that lied lifeless in the tomb…” Is what YOU say.

“No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.” Is what the WORD says. Which one of you is lying?

Messiah DID possess the power you say He did not possess. He was given that power from His Father.

Again, you’ll get no argument that The Son and The Father are unique entities.

“As you can see keeping this in context the “Word” is not Jesus is it?”

Are you prepared to argue against the Apostle John? Chapter one of the Gospel of John argues against you. Good thing you quote it, and say:

“It is not suggesting that Christ existed in anything but the planning stage before his humanly birth or creation.”

So YOU say. How does JOHN say a mere thirteen verses later?

“And THE WORD WAS MADE FLESH, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”

Again, you are at ODDS with the Apostle. Are you also at enmity with him?

“…only man is confused.”

Indeed, sir.

“The term “Word” so often misapplied means “of the same mind and purpose”, it does not indicate that the Father and Son are the same entity.”

See John 1:14 and argue until you are blue in the face. Free yourself from all false prophets brother. Until you do, you are sunk and you will not be able to move when your Messiah wants you to move. You will not be able to go where He tells you to go because you will not be able to hear His voice.

It is you who needs to incorporate the above information into your mental construct, in order to help you distinguish between whom you are speaking to in actual fact, from whom you presumptuously imagine yourself to be speaking. When you address certain members of these boards, myself included, you are addressing hearers of the Word. Do not elevate yourself above the hearers of the Word if you expect to engage in meaningful dialogue with any of us. And DO consider the possibility that you might learn something from your time in this place, be it ever so brief, rather than arrogantly posing as a teacher who has drawn himself down into these depths, out of the goodness of his heart, to instruct we the simple and deluded. Learn the truth about your pride. Learn the truth about your haughty nature and your air of superiority. You repeatedly say one thing in word, but show the exact opposite by your deeds. You have much more to learn than you imagine and the road ahead of you is far longer and far more afflicted than you have dared to dream. Be that as it may, we are, and I am, your brethren – fellow seekers after the Way.

While Jesus walked the earth, God the Father was, indeed, greater than He because the Father is not of this world. Sin cannot exist in His presence, so yes, while Jesus was on this earth, the Father was greater than He. But once Jesus rose from the grave, and ascended back to Heaven, He was once again joined with the Father. He is the only One Who sits at the right hand of the Father. He rules and reigns WITH the Father. Why is it that we pray to the Father in Jesus Name? Because there is none greater than He. He, Jesus, holds the power over life and death. He, Jesus, is the only One by which we can be saved and inherit the kingdom of God. God the Father, Jesus (God the Son), and the Holy Spirit (the One who convicts us of our sin) are all equal.

JMO,

I’ve noticed elsewhere that you amended your usual tone, not to mention changed your screen name, so that tells me you don’t think everything I say to you is wholly without merit. It might help if you look at this exchange completely dispassionately. Pretend you’re Mr. Spock, or another one of the Stoics. I’m not here to do you wrong, and I am not your enemy. You wrote:

“You lay in wait striking out at me hating Truth…”

I know you feel that way about what’s been said. But I have no animosity toward you at all.

“…you’re motivated by your father the Devil.”

That’s the kind of crap that takes none of us anywhere. And it’s the default, knee-jerk response from immature seekers who just can’t stomach the idea that anyone could disagree with them so strongly and yet maintain a shred of legitimacy.

“You make cruel assumption of my motivation, purpose.”

No sir. I have not implicated your motivation or your purpose; only your technique. I do not doubt your sincerity and I do not doubt your motivation to help your brethren. I accuse in you only what shows as imperious posturing.

“You ridiculously claim to have enlightenment…”

When have I claimed anything of the kind? I abhor even that word for its loaded connotations. I do not think I am anything special, JMO. Neither do I think I’m ‘enlightened.’

“…distorting, mutilating His Word beyond recognition.”

I labor to stick as closely to what is written as I can. Elsewhere I noticed your indictment of Scripture and your charge that it serves little advantage to most who read it – comparing it even to comic books. I revere the written Word and I try to adhere to it.

“You go right ahead Walter beat me down with your harsh comments and false judgements…”

I bear witness of what I see, as we are commanded to do by the Word. I consider you a fellow Wayfarer, and my instructions are to challenge and to rebuke a brother for being as wide of the Way, in certain areas, as I have described you as being.

“There will soon come a time when your arrogance is rewarded by He you claim to know so well.”

I get punched in the face by Him on a regular basis. And He is also astonishingly generous and providential with me, not to mention exceedingly patient.

You and I both have a love for what we do. I would hope you would at least recognize the truth of that mutual statement, and be less stingy in your views of others. My intent was never to assail your person with gratuitous slander, but rather to secure your attention in the hope that you possess the honesty to at least consider the words used against you apart from emotion – no mean feat.

We are expected to test one another. To prove one another. This business isn’t meant for the squeamish. You advertise yourself to be someone well-founded in the Word, not to mention something of a salty dog. So? Show what you’re made of. Lend yourself to a dialogue in the hopes of sharpening the iron. Thus far you are long on being greatly offended and short on taking the Platonic approach of considering the substance which is presented to you. Pretend, as an exercise, that I’m right in what I say. As distasteful an exercise as I’m sure that would be for you, it is good practice. I often do so myself. You can do it quickly. Just take a look. Just consider. I believe your character is strong enough to overcome your disdain for me and begin to see that I’m not firing blindly. You have three times accused me of being animated by Satan. You are not the first to level such a charge. But my hope is that you will assent to the possibility that I only come at familiar matters from an unfamiliar perspective. Neither of us are new to this profession. And we’ve both now taken the opportunity to say what’s on our minds, nothing wavering, so now we can either proceed to attend the occupation we’ve accepted or we can grumble about injustice and offended sensibilities.

I don’t regret any of what I said to you, but I acknowledge that being the recipient of similar words directed toward me would be most unpleasant indeed – especially in a public forum such as this. Recall, however, that you maintain a significant element of anonymity. Sometimes the direct approach is the best approach.

JUST-MY-OPINION, while I may not agree with everything you said, I applaud your humility, and those who gave you down votes seem to have none. This is where the stupidity begins, so there must be a lot (or maybe just one) who recognizing their own self- failure, cannot offer anything intelligent to say.