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Examine the Verse - John 17:1,3
.Consider the verse in detail in order to find out the true message or meaning.
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Examine the Verse
John 17:1,3
This verse is claimed to provide the basis of the Iglesia ni Cristo
belief in the absolute oneness of God, that the only true God is the Father in heaven; 
The Father is the Lord God Almighty, the Creator of all things;
God is Spirit, eternal, immortal and invisible.

  "Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You,  And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent".    (John 17:1,3,  New King James Version)  
 
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After Jesus finished saying this, he looked up to heaven and said,

         Father, the hour has come. Give glory to your Son, so that the Son may give glory to you.3 And eternal life means to know you, the only true God, and to know Jesus Christ, whom you sent.
(John 17:1,3,  Good News Translation)
 
  Iglesia ni Cristo belief in God and Jesus Christ:
Iglesia ni Cristo believes in the absolute oneness of God, that "the Only True God is the Father" in heaven; The Father is the Lord God Almighty, the Creator of all things. God is Spirit, eternal, immortal and invisible; He is the God and Father of Jesus Christ and His Apostles; and that of Moses, Abraham and the ancient Israelites.
Iglesia ni Cristo believes that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. As the Son of God,
Jesus is a Man.  However, Jesus is not an ordinary man but a "very special Man",
who was sanctified; made Lord, Christ, Savior, Mediator and Judge by God.
 
  Apostle's admonition, warning and unique way of teaching:
1. No prophecy of scripture is a matter of personal interpretation. (II Pt. 1:20, NAB)
2. Do not go beyond  what is written. (I Cor. 4:6, NIV)
 3. We do not use words of human wisdom. We speak words given to us by the Spirit,
using the Spirit's words to explain spiritual truths. (1 Cor. 2:13, NLT)
 
  Points to Consider:  
  1.  Notice that In the above verses, the Lord Jesus Christ Himself is praying to the Father in heaven.
2.  In the verse, Jesus clearly said this in His prayer to the Father:  "And this is eternal life, that they may know you 'the only true God' and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent".
3. In the above verse, Jesus is clearly saying that the Father in heaven is the only true God.  Thus, Jesus clearly believes in the absolute oneness of God.
4. And what did Jesus say about Himself? Jesus clearly said that "He was sent by the Father." Thus, in effect, Jesus is distinct or a separate being from Godthe Father who sent Him.
Why is Jesus a separate being from the Father? Jesus Himself said that the Father is greater than Him. Thus, the Father and Jesus are not co-equal, in fact Jesus is a "servant of God".  Therefore, Jesus is not God Himself as Trinitarians would like to believe him to be.

"Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. (John 13:16, NKJV)

"You have heard Me say to you, `I am going away and coming back to you.' If you loved Me, you would rejoice because I said, `I am going to the Father,' for My Father is greater than I.  (John 14:28, NKJV)

The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus. You handed him over to be killed, and you disowned him before Pilate, though he had decided to let him go. (Acts 3:13, NIV)

5.  What is the significance of knowing the Father as the only true God and knowing that Jesus Christ was sent by the Father? Jesus clearly said: "And eternal life means to know you the only true God and and to know Jesus Christ, whom you sent.".  Thus, eternal life awaits those who may come to know this truth about God and Jesus.

 
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  John 17:1,3 in other versions of the Bible:  
 

These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee:  And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. (King James Version)

After Jesus said these things, he looked toward heaven and prayed, “Father, the time has come. Give glory to your Son so that the Son can give glory to you. And this is eternal life: that people can know you, the only true God, and that they can know Jesus Christ, the one you sent.  (Easy to Read Version)

WHEN JESUS had spoken these things, He lifted up His eyes to heaven and said, Father, the hour has come. Glorify and exalt and honor and magnify Your Son, so that Your Son may glorify and extol and honor and magnify You.   And this is eternal life: [it means] to know (to perceive, recognize, become acquainted with, and understand) You, the only true and real God, and [likewise] to know Him, Jesus [as the] Christ (the Anointed One, the Messiah), Whom You have sent.  (Amplified Bible)

After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed:  “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. (New International Version)

After saying all these things, Jesus looked up to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son so he can give glory back to you. And this is the way to have eternal life—to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth.   (New Living Translation)

After Jesus finished saying this, he looked up to heaven and said, Father, the hour has come. Give glory to your Son, so that the Son may give glory to you.  And eternal life means to know you, the only true God, and to know Jesus Christ, whom you sent.    (Good News Translation)

 

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Examine - consider in detail and subject to an analysis in order to discover essential features or meaning; Source: http://www.thefreedictionary.com/examine

Bible Study Suggestion: If you have further questions, please feel free to visit the Iglesia ni Cristo congregation nearest you. A minister or an evangelical worker would be happy to answer any biblical question you have in mind.

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