Does this mean that Jesus perfectly manifested God (As opposed
>to God manifesting himself in Jesus)? In other words. Was it the
>result of Jesus' works that God was manifested in him, or did God
>essentially choose him, so that it was God doing all of the work?
Dear Jerry,
You probably need to explain to your friend that we consider Manifestations to have an innate station which is essentially different from other human beings. In other words, it is not something we can attain. Your friend as a Christian he may already be familiar with the concept of the Logos in the preface to John's Gospels. Likewise the Baha'i scriptures speak of "He through Whom the letters B and E have been joined and knit together." Or as the Iqan states it is through Them that "all things live, move , and have their being."
>Basically, is there any other difference between God manifesting himself
>pefectly in Jesus and God manifesting himself in some regular devout
>believer, aside from the fact that the latter is not "perfect"?
Yes.
So is there an essential difference to how God is
>manifested in Jesus and how He is manifested in other believers, aside
>from the fact that one is a perfect manifestation and the other is not?
Yes, but we see the distinction as ontological, not based on the concept of original sin.
I suppose my question is this, was God perfectly
>manifested in Jesus' human nature or just through his actions and beliefs?
Yes. His own Person tells us all we can know about God humanly speaking.
>
> Finally, you have said in the past that it is correct to address
>Jesus as "God". When you call him God, do you mean that He is God in
>the same way that the Father is God? Is it appropriete to worship and
>pray to Jesus?
We can and do pray to the Manifestation.
warmest, Susan ----------
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