Table 1 Subject Category:
Christ

  • Christianity
  • Christian Science
  • Spiritualism
  • Jehovah's Witnesses
  • Mormonism
  • Eastern Mysticism
  • The Way International
  • Unity
  • Unification Church
    •

    BIBLICAL CHRISTIANITY

    Jesus Christ

    In the beginning was the Word...and the Word was God (John 1:1).

    When, as his mother, Mary, was espoused to Joseph before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 1:18).

    Behold, the virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel (Isaiah 7:14).

    God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the nations, believed on in the world, received up into glory (I Timothy 3:16).

    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 (John 1:14).

    No man hath seen God at any time--the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him (John 1:18).

    And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead (Romans 1:4).

    And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain (I Corinthians 15:17).

    Wherefore, he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them (Hebrews 7:25).

    This same Jesus...shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into Heaven (Acts 1:11; cf. John 14:3; I Thessalonians 4:13-18).
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    CHRISTIAN SCIENCE

    Jesus Christ

    Jesus is the human man and Christ is the divine idea (SH, 473:15-16).

    If there had never existed such a person as the Galilean Prophet, it would make no difference to me (First Church of Christ Scientist & Misc., pp. 318-19).

    The virgin mother conceived this idea of God and gave to her ideal the name of Jesus. Jesus was the offspring of Mary's self-conscious communion with God (SH, 29:17- 18, 32- 30:1).

    Not that the human Jesus was or is eternal...not one with the Father...but fleshly....Christ is "the ideal Truth," "Divine Idea," "reflection of God."

    The dual personality (Christ Jesus) continued until the ascension, when Jesus disappeared, while Christ continues to exist in the eternal order of Divine Science taking away the sins of the world (SH, 333:32; 334:1).

    His disciples believed Jesus to be dead, while he was in the sepulchre, whereas he was alive (SH, 44:28-29).

    To the apprehension [of his students] our Master rose from the grave on the third day of his ascending thought (SH, 509:4-7).

    Resurrection is spiritualization of thought (SH, 593:9).
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    SPIRITUALISM

    Jesus Christ

    Christ himself was nothing more than a medium of high order.

    The teaching of spirits supersedes and is an advance upon the teachings of Christianity. (Spiritual Telegraph, No 37).

    Jesus Christ was not divine. He is now an advanced spirit in the sixth sphere. He never claimed to be God manifest in the flesh and does not at present (Weisse, Demonology or Spiritualism, p. 141).

    Jesus did not claim for himself more than he held out for others.

    His identification with the Father was the oneness of mediumship. He was a medium or "mediator." (Colville, Universal Spiritualism, p. 234).

    Jesus Christ was indeed the Son of God, as also are we sons of God (Many Mansions, p. 107).

    The miraculous conception of Christ is merely a fabulous tale (Weisse, Spiritualism, p. 141).

    Spiritualism sees in the death of Jesus an illustration of the martyr spirit, of that unselfish and heroic devotion to humanity which ever characterized the life of Jesus, but no special atoning value in his sufferings and death ( The A.B.C. of Spiritualism, p. 19).

    Spiritualism accepts him as one of many Saviour Christs who at different times have come into the world to lighten darkness and show by precept and example the way of life to men. It recognizes him as a world Saviour but not as "the only name" given under heaven by which men can be saved (The A.B.C. of Spiritualism, p. 17).
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    JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES

    Jesus Christ

    Not Jehovah God. He was the first son that Jehovah God brought forth (LG, p. 32).

    The First Creation by God (MS, p. 282).

    Jesus Christ had a pre-human existence (LG, p. 34).

    Michael the archangel is no other than the only-begotten Son of God, now Jesus Christ (NH, p. 30).

    Jesus was born about Oct. 1, B.C. 2, of the virgin Mary (LG, p. 36).

    At baptism Jesus was anointed to become the Messiah or Jesus the Christ (Anointed) (LG, p. 38).

    He showed his subjection to God by humbling himself to a most disgraceful death on a torture stake (LG, p. 35).

    God raised him as a mighty immortal spirit Son (LG, p. 40).

    Christ was not raised in flesh, but with a spiritual body (MS, p. 426).
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    MORMONISM

    Jesus Christ

    Among the spirit children of Elohim, the firstborn was and is Jehovah or Jesus Christ, to whom all others are juniors (Smith, CD, p. 70).

    By obedience and devotion He attained to the pinnacle of intelligence which ranked him as a God, even in his preexistent state (McConkie, MD, p. 192).

    Jesus Christ was the executive in the work of creation, aided by Michael (or Adam), Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Peter, James, John, Joseph Smith, and others (McConkie, MD, p. 169).

    He was born of the virgin Mary. Elohim is literally the Father of the Spirit and of Jesus Christ, and also of the body (Talmage, DC, p. 466).

    He is essentially greater than all others, by reason of His unique status in the flesh as the offspring of a mortal mother and an immortal, or resurrected and glorified Father.

    He died on the cross, rose again, and is coming again in power and glory to set up his kingdom on earth (Talmage, DC, p. 472).

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    EASTERN MYSTICISM

    Jesus Christ

    All religions from times immemorial are just different branches of the main trunk of the eternal religion represented by the Vedas (TM, p. 19).

    "I don't think Christ ever suffered or Christ could suffer" (Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, p. 123).

    Christ is considered to be one of a long line of "Masters" who had themselves realized divinity. They are recognized as "divine," and addressed as such. Through such individuals at various times in history, the "divine truth" was transmitted to men. His picture is frequently to be seen beside that of Buddha, or of Shankaracharya, or Yogananda, or other recognized "Divine Leaders."

    The "Masters" are considered to be realized expressions of divinity and, as such, are worshiped.

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    THE WAY INTERNATIONAL

    Jesus Christ

    The gospel of John established the truth of God's word that Jesus Christ was the Son of God, but not God the Son--or God Himself (JC, p. 16).

    Jesus Christ's existence began when he was conceived by God's creating the soul-life of Jesus in Mary (WW, p. 37).

    The created word (Jesus Christ) was with God in His foreknowledge--the same way that "we the chosen of God" were called in Him in His foreknowledge (JC, p. 85).

    When Jesus was born, he came into existence....Foreknowledge became a reality (JC, p. 85).

    Jesus and God are not one from the beginning, but they were one in purpose (JC, pp. 119-20).

    Jesus just "took part, not all" of Adam's flesh and blood (JC, p. 71).

    He was sinless because he was conceived by the Holy Spirit, yet was born of Mary with a body of flesh, as all mankind (WW, p. 161).

    Jesus Christ was a man...whose life was without blemish and without spot, a lamb from the flock, thereby being the perfect sacrifice. Thus he became our redeemer (JC, p. 79).

    After Jesus Christ was sacrificed, was resurrected and then ascended, it was possible for God to send His gift which dwells permanently in all believers (JC, p. 133).

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    UNITY

    Jesus Christ

    The Krishna of the Hindu is the same as the Christos of the Greeks and the Messiah of the Hebrews (SB, p. 22).

    There were in the person of Jesus two distinct regions--the fleshly, mortal part which was Jesus, the son of man; then there was the central, living, real part which was Spirit, the Son of God, the Christ, the Anointed. So...each one of us has two regions of being--the fleshly, mortal...and at the very center of our being there is the...Christ Child, the Son of God, the Anointed in us (Fillmore, The Unity Treasure Chest, p. 49).

    This Christ or perfect-man idea existing eternally in divine mind is the true spiritual, higher-self of every individual (Metaphysical Bible Dictionary, p. 150).

    This same Christ lives within us that iived in Jesus. It is the part of Himsdf which God has put within us, which ever lives there...Christ, within us is the "beloved Son," the same as it was in Jesus (UTC, p. 51).

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    UNIFICATION CHURCH

    Jesus Christ

    As a man [Jesus was] no different from us except for the fact that he was without original sin (DP, p. 212).

    He was the one who lived God's ideal in fullest realization (CIC p. 12).

    He "attained" the purpose of creation (DP, p. 290).

    In light of his attained deity he may well be called God. Nevertheless, he can by no means be called God Himself (DP, pp. 210-11).

    The death of Jesus was neither his will nor his fault. [It was] murder, and his body was taken by Satan (CIC, p. 104).

    He will come again as the third Adam, the lord of the Second Advent. The Kingdom of God will gradually appear (DP, p. 506).

    Jesus came as the sinless Adam, or perfected Adam. His first mission was to restore his bride and form the first family of God. But he was crucified. Jesus Christ must come again to consummate the mission he left undone 2,000 years ago (CIC, p. 27). See "Reincarnation."

    Christ will be born in a country in the East...and will place a seal on the foreheads of the 144,000 (DP, p. 520).

    Korea should be the nation that can receive the Lord of the Second Advent (DP p. 520).

    Even in the spirit worid after his resurrection, he lives as a spirit man with his disciples (DP, p. 212).
    Taken from: The Spirit of Truth and the Spirit of Error 2. Compiled by Steven Cory. Copyright 1986, Moody Bible Institute of Chicago. Moody Press. Used by permission.

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