Again, this month’s blog will be a continuation from a booklet I wrote a while back titled “Salvation, Beginning to End”. This booklet is exhaustive in covering the entire process of salvation, so I'm taking it a little at a time. It has over 250 scripture footnotes I will not include. If you have any questions, you can fill out the comment box, and I will supply you with the scripture(s) I have based my writings on. All quotes used in this booklet are my composite paraphrases using the Greek manuscripts, six of the most used and accurate text critics. Also used is the comparison of several modern Bible versions, the use of various commentaries, the Bible appendixes of William Bullinger’ Companion Bible and historical views of Dr. John Lightfoot.
The booklet is non-denominational. It simply represents one person's honest attempt to eke out the original meaning of the Word of God on a variety of subjects, some seldom discussed. My opinions are clearly noted. It is impossible to write such a booklet as this without being controversial or possibly upsetting to some. My conscience is clear concerning my research and conclusions, but if this book would cause you to stumble in your faith, simply do not read it. I pray now that our God will continue to reveal Himself through His Word by any means He chooses, even if it is not through my work.
Now, let us continue...
Jesus' mother Mary was impregnated by the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit. This means that Jesus was "begotten" or procreated into the same divinity or essence of His heavenly Father. Within Jesus' human body resided the human nature and the divine nature. More specifically, Jesus as an indivisible person of the Godhead (God) took upon Himself an additional human nature in His incarnation. This made Him fully God and fully man. The theological term for this phenomenon is the "hypostatic union" in which Jesus' two separate natures are unified by one purpose, without the mixture or loss of either identity. Jesus the man had His plight, and Jesus as God had His mission.
While human nature can be defined by its physical and mental limitations, the divine nature is defined as being limitless. Where human nature is represented by human-kind's sinful character, the divine nature is represented by God's infinite holiness, truth, grace and perfect justice. If we choose to adopt the doctrine that Jesus was deity in the flesh body, we must right-fully divide the Word. That is, we must separate the scripture that defines His deity while on this earth from that which describes His eternal deity before His earthly conception and after His ascension. There is a good amount of scripture to prove Jesus' deity before the foundation of the world. And after His resurrection, Jesus appeared to His disciples to tell them that all power and authority had been given to Him in Heaven and earth. Transcending physical dimension was certainly no hindrance to Him then, as He instantly appeared out of the blue at least twice. There are also several verses describing Christ's divinity as He now sits upon His heavenly throne beside His Father.
Now let us look at the divinity of Jesus the man of human flesh and bone. Prophecy of Isaiah called Him Emmanuel, which when interpreted means "God with us". This scripture is quoted in both Testaments, and in each case the suffix "El" is translated "The God the Omnipotent who knows and sees all". Furthermore, John 1:1 and 14 read, "In the very beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God...and the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us..." Thus, Jesus was God in the flesh. We read in Psalms 102:27 and Hebrews 13:8 the immutability of Christ. He is, "the same yesterday, today and forever...", whether in human form or not. Paul wrote, "For in Christ dwells all the fullness of the of the deity in His body." And Jesus, the Son of Man, has the authority on earth to forgive sins.
Philippians 2:5-8 offers a good amount of proof that Jesus was the "God-man"- fully God and fully man. In verses 6 and 7, we read that, although Jesus was one with God, He did not hang onto that equality to maintain some sort of advantage while in human form, but He voluntarily allowed Himself to be stripped of certain privileges of divinity. Many scholars believe that Jesus as a man did not forfeit any of His divine nature or attributes, but for reasons known only to God, the full observable manifestations of His omnipresence and omniscience were veiled from the world. One scripture seems to uphold this theory. Peter referred to Jesus' omniscience, "Lord, you know all things." But was this simply an observation that Jesus could selectively read the hearts and minds of those whom God gave Him discernment at any given moment, or was this proof that Jesus knew all things at all times? Even though we read of Him commanding nature itself, we do not read of Jesus being in all places, times and dimensions at once. Although His walking on water demonstrated power over the laws of physics, we cannot conclude that it proved Jesus' full divine attributes, because Peter was also given the privilege of walking on water.
Just as we are today, Jesus was dependent upon the authority and guidance of His Father's will through the knowledge and power of the Spirit. He did and said nothing until it was first shown to Him from above. Philippians 2:8 tells us what Jesus forfeited. He relinquished His deserved honor and dignity as divinity so He could be born and live as a man. He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the death for our sins. Sacrifice requires death and what Jesus gave up was His very life in His love for us.
In conclusion, the specific attributes of the Godhead's nature that could not be physically or mentally expressed within Jesus' human form were nonetheless present through Jesus and available for Him to exercise by His own will. But He chose not to, staying subservient to His Father and loyal to the purpose He afore counseled with the Trinity. The dynamics of the relationship between the Godhead cannot be questioned or fathomed by mortal man. We may not comprehend its mechanisms, but nonetheless trust in its perfection. The man, Jesus, was by theological definition, deity. His physical shell embodied the sovereignty and authority from the Father, the sacrificial ministry of the Son and the power of the Holy Spirit.
The booklet is non-denominational. It simply represents one person's honest attempt to eke out the original meaning of the Word of God on a variety of subjects, some seldom discussed. My opinions are clearly noted. It is impossible to write such a booklet as this without being controversial or possibly upsetting to some. My conscience is clear concerning my research and conclusions, but if this book would cause you to stumble in your faith, simply do not read it. I pray now that our God will continue to reveal Himself through His Word by any means He chooses, even if it is not through my work.
Now, let us continue...
Jesus' mother Mary was impregnated by the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit. This means that Jesus was "begotten" or procreated into the same divinity or essence of His heavenly Father. Within Jesus' human body resided the human nature and the divine nature. More specifically, Jesus as an indivisible person of the Godhead (God) took upon Himself an additional human nature in His incarnation. This made Him fully God and fully man. The theological term for this phenomenon is the "hypostatic union" in which Jesus' two separate natures are unified by one purpose, without the mixture or loss of either identity. Jesus the man had His plight, and Jesus as God had His mission.
While human nature can be defined by its physical and mental limitations, the divine nature is defined as being limitless. Where human nature is represented by human-kind's sinful character, the divine nature is represented by God's infinite holiness, truth, grace and perfect justice. If we choose to adopt the doctrine that Jesus was deity in the flesh body, we must right-fully divide the Word. That is, we must separate the scripture that defines His deity while on this earth from that which describes His eternal deity before His earthly conception and after His ascension. There is a good amount of scripture to prove Jesus' deity before the foundation of the world. And after His resurrection, Jesus appeared to His disciples to tell them that all power and authority had been given to Him in Heaven and earth. Transcending physical dimension was certainly no hindrance to Him then, as He instantly appeared out of the blue at least twice. There are also several verses describing Christ's divinity as He now sits upon His heavenly throne beside His Father.
Now let us look at the divinity of Jesus the man of human flesh and bone. Prophecy of Isaiah called Him Emmanuel, which when interpreted means "God with us". This scripture is quoted in both Testaments, and in each case the suffix "El" is translated "The God the Omnipotent who knows and sees all". Furthermore, John 1:1 and 14 read, "In the very beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God...and the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us..." Thus, Jesus was God in the flesh. We read in Psalms 102:27 and Hebrews 13:8 the immutability of Christ. He is, "the same yesterday, today and forever...", whether in human form or not. Paul wrote, "For in Christ dwells all the fullness of the of the deity in His body." And Jesus, the Son of Man, has the authority on earth to forgive sins.
Philippians 2:5-8 offers a good amount of proof that Jesus was the "God-man"- fully God and fully man. In verses 6 and 7, we read that, although Jesus was one with God, He did not hang onto that equality to maintain some sort of advantage while in human form, but He voluntarily allowed Himself to be stripped of certain privileges of divinity. Many scholars believe that Jesus as a man did not forfeit any of His divine nature or attributes, but for reasons known only to God, the full observable manifestations of His omnipresence and omniscience were veiled from the world. One scripture seems to uphold this theory. Peter referred to Jesus' omniscience, "Lord, you know all things." But was this simply an observation that Jesus could selectively read the hearts and minds of those whom God gave Him discernment at any given moment, or was this proof that Jesus knew all things at all times? Even though we read of Him commanding nature itself, we do not read of Jesus being in all places, times and dimensions at once. Although His walking on water demonstrated power over the laws of physics, we cannot conclude that it proved Jesus' full divine attributes, because Peter was also given the privilege of walking on water.
Just as we are today, Jesus was dependent upon the authority and guidance of His Father's will through the knowledge and power of the Spirit. He did and said nothing until it was first shown to Him from above. Philippians 2:8 tells us what Jesus forfeited. He relinquished His deserved honor and dignity as divinity so He could be born and live as a man. He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the death for our sins. Sacrifice requires death and what Jesus gave up was His very life in His love for us.
In conclusion, the specific attributes of the Godhead's nature that could not be physically or mentally expressed within Jesus' human form were nonetheless present through Jesus and available for Him to exercise by His own will. But He chose not to, staying subservient to His Father and loyal to the purpose He afore counseled with the Trinity. The dynamics of the relationship between the Godhead cannot be questioned or fathomed by mortal man. We may not comprehend its mechanisms, but nonetheless trust in its perfection. The man, Jesus, was by theological definition, deity. His physical shell embodied the sovereignty and authority from the Father, the sacrificial ministry of the Son and the power of the Holy Spirit.
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