|
| |
GOD IN ONE PERSON
ONE PERSON
There is a difference of understanding in the definition of
the word `person'. Some understand `person' to mean `the body' or
`appearance', e.g. the visible expression. If we accept this definition, then
clearly God, the Father, is not a `person', for HE IS SPIRIT.
On the other hand others understand `person' to be
associated with `personality, individuality, self-consciousness,
self-determination, etc.. If we accept this definition, then God, the
Father, is a Person. HOWEVER, this still will not make two or three
persons in the Godhead. There is only one God and only one personality of
Deity. This personality is the one and the same, whether seen as JEHOVAH
in the Old Testament or as JESUS in the New Testament.
PERSONALITY OF GOD
In both the Old and New Testaments man is able to have
fellowship with God. Man is able to talk to God and have communion with
his Maker. We must never think of God as being just an impersonal force or
influence. He is a personal God who loved us and manifested Himself in
flesh to die for us. As such He has personality, but He is still ONE GOD
and ONE DIVINE PERSON.
MAN IS BODY, SOUL AND SPIRIT -- BUT ONE PERSON
The titles, `Father', `Son' and `Holy Ghost' are freely
used in the Scripture, but this fact does not make three persons nor three Gods.
The Bible declares that Father, Son and Holy Ghost is ONE PERSON.
1 John 3:7
To understand this truth let us consider man. He is spirit, soul and body,
BUT he is one person and bears one name. The three titles do not make
three persons anymore than body, soul and spirit make three persons.
Col. 1:3
Please note: "God AND the Father" --- does this make TWO
persons?
GOD MANIFESTED
1 Tim. 3:16
The Amplified Bible reads, "He [God] was made visible in human flesh."
This is one of the key verses that can only be understood by revelation, and yet
MUST be understood if we are to grasp an understanding of the Godhead.
In the past God has manifested Himself in many ways to man.
In Creation, on Mt. Sinai, in the Theophanies, in the Tabernacle God has
manifested Himself in a measure to man, and man was able to have a certain
knowledge of God.
However, in the one Scripture that speaks of God being
manifested, we have the greatest knowledge of God ever given, for in the
Incarnation, Christ is the express image of the invisible God. [Heb. 1:3]
On this thought let us quote from Adam Clarke's Commentary
on the Bible with his note on John 17:6.....
"A little of the Divine nature was known by the works
of Creation; a little more was known by the Mosaic revelation; but the full
manifestation of God, His Nature and His Attributes, came only through the
revelation of Christ."
THE MYSTERY OF GODLINESS
The mystery of Godliness is God manifesting Himself in the
flesh. The mystery of Iniquity is flesh manifesting itself as God.
These are contrasted in Scriptures, and Man has his choice. If he does not
accept the mystery of Godliness he will be compelled to accept the mystery of
iniquity.
LOGOS
John 1:1
`Word' is translated from the Greek `logos'. This Greek word [logos] means
not only the expression of an inward thought, but also, the thought itself.
This word might be better left not translated, but for the sake of understanding
we should attempt to define the meaning of `logos'. We might say that the
meaning of `LOGOS' is DEITY EXPRESSED. In other words the `Logos' is the
expression of the Invisible God. Scofield says, `Deity told out.'
Just as a man's thinking and expression of that thinking
cannot be separated from the man himself but is in essence a part of his very
being, NOT another Person, SO IT IS WITH GOD. The Scripture written by the
Apostle under inspiration to safeguard against the error of `another person',
clearly states:"THE LOGOS WAS GOD!"
DUAL NATURE OF JESUS CHRIST
Jesus Christ, in the Incarnation, possessed a dual nature
-- divinity and humanity. Note well that Jesus was NOT two persons, NOR
did He possess two personalities.
BUT He was God-Man, the Word Incarnate, God manifested in
the flesh. As a human being He was the Son; as God He was the
Father. As the Son, many times He spoke and acted as a man; as the
Father, many times He spoke and acted as God. Once this truth is
understood the door is open to a clear understanding of just who Jesus really is
--- THE MIGHTY GOD IN CHRIST.
JESUS CHRIST IS NOT THE ETERNAL SON
The `eternal Son' theory is not scriptural. It came
as the result of the Trinitarian theory and teaches a `second person' in the
Godhead. Jesus Christ, in the flesh, was the Begotten Son. [John 3:16]
The words `begotten' and `eternal' mean the very opposite and contradict each
other.
Let us quote again from Adam Clarke's Commentary on his
note about Acts 13:33 -- "Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten
thee."
" The human nature of our blessed Lord was begotten by the energy of
the Holy Spirit in the womb of the Blessed Virgin; for as to his Divine
nature, which is allowed to be God, it could neither be created nor begotten
.... the doctrine of the eternal Sonship of Christ is absolutely
irreconcilable to reason, and contradictory to itself. Eternity is that
which has had no beginning, nor stands with any reference to Time. `Son'
supposes Time, Generation and Father and Time also antecedent to such
Generation. Therefore the rational conjunction of these two terms, `Son'
and `eternity' is absolutely impossible as they imply essentially different
and opposite ideas."
Also quoting from Clarke and his note on Luke 1:35....
"... the doctrine of the eternal Sonship of Christ is, in
my opinion, anti-scriptural, and highly dangerous... This doctrine of the
eternal Sonship destroys the Deity of Christ.... This doctrine of the
eternal Sonship, I MUST and DO consider as an AWFUL HERESY.'-- Adam Clarke.
THE INCARNATION
INCARNATION
John 1:14 "And the Word became flesh [human, incarnate] and
tabernacled among us." Amplified Bible.
The dictionary meaning of `to incarnate' is given as `to
embody in flesh'. In the incarnation the Logos became flesh [John 1:14]
and God was manifest in the flesh [1 Tim. 3:16]. This is correct
Scriptural terminology. God could not be born of Mary, BUT He did manifest
Himself in the flesh which was born of Mary. The flesh which was born was
the Logos incarnate. This does not make two persons for the Logos was God.
We are able to say with Charles Wesley...
"Veiled in flesh, the Godhead see!
Hail, the Incarnate Deity!."
QUOTATION FROM THE WRITINGS OF BROTHER ANDREW URSHAN
The thought of the incarnation can be explained clearly by
quoting here a paragraph written by our beloved Brother Andrew Urshan.
'Our Lord before He came in the flesh ..... He eternally existed as
`God-and-Word', notice: He was not only the Word of God [Logos], but
also the very God. Just as His beloved apostle said, "In the
beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word-was-God."
Here our Lord is declared to be both God and THE WORD. The reader must
also notice that God did not become flesh, BUT God was manifested in
that flesh. So to say `God incarnate' is not right for God cannot be
begotten, nor can He be born of a woman. But to say that the Word
incarnate and God was in that personified Word reconciling the world unto
Himself, yet remaining in His heavenly habitation, [without any change
whatever in His glorious and omnipresent Being] is scriptural teaching.
Hence Jesus Christ was not only that limited human personality -- He was
all that as the Son [the Word] but infinitely more, He was `the mighty
God and the Everlasting Father also' cf. Isaiah 9:6, John 1:1.
Herein lies the great mystery of Godliness.
`God was manifested , not BY the flesh, but IN the flesh, justified in the
Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world,
received up INTO GLORY.' [Notes from `The Witness of God' - December
1958]
WHERE?
Micah 5:2 `But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah .... everlasting'
Bethlehem is one of the oldest towns in Palestine.
While the Gentiles controlled it, it was called Ephratah. We note that
`Bethlehem' and `Ephratah' are linked together for the `incarnation'. This
shows that both Jew and Gentile are brought together in the Plan of Redemption.
Bethlehem is approximately six miles from Jerusalem.
This is David's native town, and the story of Ruth took place here.
Benjamin was born here and Rachel died here.
WHEN?
Galatians 4:4 "But when the fulness of time was come, God
sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under law."
Romans 5:6 "... in due time Christ died for the ungodly."
Matthew 1:17 The fourteenth
generation of the thirs cycle.
The first advent of our Lord was right on time in God's
programme. This tells us that His Second Advent will also be right on
time.
WHY?
John 10:10 "I am come that they might have life ...
abundantly."
1 Tim. 1:15 "... Christ Jesus came into the world to save
sinners."
The purpose of the Incarnation was to provide a Sacrificial
Lamb for the Atonement. CHRIST WAS BORN IN ORDER TO DIE ON CALVARY.
THE PERFECT HUMANITY OF JESUS
1. PERFECT HUMANITY
Jesus Christ was God-Man; very God and perfect Man.
We do not use the word `perfect' with Deity, for there are no degrees of
perfection with God, but there are degrees of perfection with Man.
Accordingly we say that Jesus was very God and Perfect Man.
Jesus was a perfect Man, but such statements as:`Mary was
the Mother of God Almighty', and `the Blood of Calvary was the Blood of God' ARE
INCORRECT and must be qualified. There is a truth embraced in such
statements, for God WAS manifested in the Flesh which was born and which died,
and the Word-Incarnate WAS God. However, God Almighty could neither be
begotten nor die. There is no Scripture to prove that the flesh of Jesus
was not the same as ours, only in the stated fact that He was sinless. The
Scriptures clearly state that the Lord took on flesh and blood like the children
[Heb. 2:14]. This passage proves that the Father, God, manifested Himself
in flesh in order to save His children.
2. HE IS CALLED A MAN
No less than eighty times in the Gospels does Jesus call
Himself `the Son of Man'. References are made to : (1) The
Seed of Abraham; (2) The Seed of David; (3) The Lineage of
David; (4) The Seed of the Woman. Some other references are :-
1 Timothy 2:5; Phil. 2:8; Matthew 2:11.
3. HE HAD THE APPEARANCE OF A MAN
John 4:9; Luke 24:18; John 20:15
HE EXPERIENCED ALL THE INFIRMITIES OF MAN - EXCEPT SIN
Hebrews 4:15; Matthew 26:38; Matthew 4:2;
Matthew 8:24; John 4:6;
John 11:35; John 19:28
4. AS A MAN HE WAS THE SON
Sonship denotes a beginning, also a relation to time and
place. Only as He became a man was He able to become the only begotten
Son. [John 3:16] Not an eternal son nor a created son, but a son who was
conceived in the womb of Mary. As a son he grew and matured and was
subject to the Father. As a son He tasted of our infirmities and
weaknesses and was tempted in every point.
5. PURPOSE OF HIS HUMANITY AND SONSHIP
The purpose of the Sonship was as follows:-
[a] That He might become our Redeemer. The necessity
of the atonement demanded that there be a sinless sacrifice offered up in our
stead. Only God could provide such a sacrifice. Hebrews 2:14.
[b] That He might become our Mediator. Our mediator
knows our weaknesses through His Omniscience, AND ALSO by way of actual
experience.
Hebrews 4:15.
[c] That he might become our King. In order to have a
Kingdom there must be a King. He reigns NOW in our hearts, but SOON He
shall come to reign on this earth. Matthew 26:64.
[d]That He might be our Judge. Acts 17:31
|
