Doctrine of Immutability

Tags

Apostolic Pentecostal, Immutability, Incarnation, onenesstheology

Jan Paron, PhD|November 13, 2017     

          Malachi 3:6 offers a strong statement about God’s own revelation of His name, “I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.” Lord in Hebrew means Jehovah—The Unchangeable One: He Who is, He Who was, and He Who is to Come (cf. Isa 44:6). The New Testament ascribes this same title and purpose to Jesus (1 Tim 1:16; Rev 1:7-8).

  Image: shaynageorge

          God’s covenant restoration forms the basis of His name. The Unchangeable One has sought to reconcile His people into covenant with Him across the dispensations of time. Jehovah will fulfill His final covenant promise of crushing the serpent’s head and saving His people (Gen 3:15) to restore them to covenant with Him in His Millennial reign. As the immutable I AM, Jehovah vowed the promise of redemption to His people so “the sons of Jacob are not consumed” (Mal 3:6b), meaning perish (Brown, Driver, & Briggs, 2006). In an ever-changing world, Jehovah will remain unchangeable into the Everlasting.

Redemptive, Faithful Husband of Israel

          The Prophet Isaiah remarked, “For your husband is your Maker, The Lord of hosts is His name; And your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel, Who is called the God of the whole earth” (Isa 54:5 AMP). The prophets described how God’s redemptive name revealed His unconditional love as the faithful Husband who sought to restore covenantal relationship despite His wife Israel’s adulterous actions.

          In Ezek 16, the prophet told of himself laying on the plywood with a model of Jerusalem on one side of his bed and him naked and facing away from her.  Israel played the harlot as the unfaithful bride to her Husband, putting herself out there to Egyptian, Assyrian, and Chaldean gods with spiritual adultery. Israel even sacrificed her own children and delivered them to the images of men (16: 21). The Prophet Ezekiel in chapter 16 painted a picture of Israel’s idolatry with blunt, graphic descriptors: harlot, fornication, whoredom, whore, whorish woman, abomination, and sin greater than Sodom’s. He cried out, “How weak is thine heart, saith the Lord God, seeing thou doest all these things, the work of an imperious whorish woman;” (v. 30 KJV). Yet, despite Israel breaking the marriage covenant, God kept His divine faithfulness by renewing covenant with her from the days of her youth and make it into an everlasting covenant (v. 60; cf. Gen 17:7-8; Jer 31:31-34).

          In the Book of Hosea, the prophet relayed God’s marital struggles with the wanton, whorish wife Israel. Despite her infidelity, God yearned for a renewed intimacy with His disobedient bride. Hosea described Israel as committing great whoredoms (Hos 2:2), indicating a departing from the Lord. His wife knew Baal (13:2). The God of Israel declared “Yet I am the Lord God from the land of Egypt, and thou shall know no god but me: but there is no savior beside me:” (Hos 13:4). Israel had turned from God by falling from their iniquity and backsliding (14:1).

          God’s showed mercy once again for Israel. Though He once called Israel children of a harlot, He would regather them as future sons of the living God. He likened their number to the sand of the sea that cannot be measured or numbered (Hos 1:10).  Even with Israel’s chronic unfaithfulness, God assured their restored covenant on the day of Jezreel (1: 11; cf. Rev 16:16).

          The unfaithful Israel also caused the Lord to lament in Jeremiah: “Surely as a wife treacherously departeth from her husband, so have ye dealt treacherously with me, O house of Israel, saith the Lord” (3:20). Once again the ever faithful Husband, the Holy One of Israel, robed Himself in flesh as Jehovah-Savior to redeem the House of Israel fulfilling His promise of a Messiah for His people.

Redemptive, Chosen Son of the Two Covenants

          God made covenants with Abraham and David (Gen 12:2; 2 Sam 7:8). When the Lord placed His expressed image behind Jesus, He revealed the Chosen Son of the two covenants—the descended Son of Abraham and David (Gen 22:17-19; 2 Sam 7:8; cf. Matt 1:1; 17; Luke 1:32; Acts 13:22, 23). God revealed His manifested character as well as His dual fulfillment when He raised Jesus from the dead and exalted Him as Lord (Eph 1:16-23). The title Lord attributed to Jesus in His exaltation and biblical expression “the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” identified Jesus as the Incarnation of God and Father. Christ blessed us in Him as well as the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ blessed us in the person of Jesus who would bring forth a new and better covenant. The expression “The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” recognizes Jesus as the Chosen Son of the covenants and the Incarnation of Jehovah, the God of Israel of the two covenants.

Redemptive Word Robed in Flesh

          “God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man that he should repent:” (Num 23:19b). Repent means to change one’s mind. The I AM did not retract His promise of redemption when He revealed His nature in the person of Jesus Christ. Neither did God change His mind about His purpose for humanity when He robed Himself in flesh uniting divinity with humanity incarnated in Jesus. Rather, Jesus embodies all God’s divine (Phil 2:6a; cf. John 1:14d). Bernard explained Jesus’ divines essence “the incarnation of the fullness of God; in His deity He is the Father, Word, and Spirit” (2010, p. 210) while He also took on the nature of man (John 1:14b).

          Revelation 1:7-8 reveals the Lord subject to time through the Incarnation “the Lord which is; which was; and which is to come, the Almighty:”

• “The Lord which was” revealed the crucified Christ of the Gospels. Christ took on the form of God, the Word in robed in flesh. Jesus’ first birth of a virgin, conceived of the Holy Ghost brought Him forth into time from eternity (Reeves, 1984, Supreme Godhead 11, p. 47).
• “The Lord which is” expressed the Christ of the Gospels resurrected and exalted to the throne (Rev 3:21). Jesus’ birth out of death “who is the beginning, the first-born from the dead” brought time into eternity (Col 1:18).
• “The Lord which is to come” will identify Jehovah as Christ as the coming King of kings, also the Son of David (Isa 44:6; Rev 1:7, 8). In the fullness of the appointed time as the supreme and authoritative head over all things in the Church, Jesus will put in subjection all things in every realm under His feet (Eph 1:22 AMP).

          God’s nature does not change due to His immutability (Mal 3:6a; e.g., Num 23:19; Isa 46: 9-11; Jas 1:13). His nature remains unchanged across the dispensations of time grounding itself in the same redemptive purpose with humanity. Time cannot subject God because of immutability, but does through the Incarnation in the person of Jesus Christ for the benefit of humanity’s redemption. Thus, the redemptive, faithful Husband of Israel expressed in the Old Testament manifested Himself in the substance of Jesus Christ in the New as the redemptive chosen Son of the two covenants and redemptive Word robed in flesh (Exod 3:14-15; John 8:56-59).

References

Bernard, D. (2010). The essentials of oneness theology. Hazelwood, MO: Word Aflame Press.

Bernard, D. (2016). The glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. Dorset, UK: Deo Publishing.

Bernard, D. (2007). The oneness of God. Florissant, MO: Word Aflame Press.

Bullinger, E. E. (2007). The divine names and titles: In the Old and New Testaments. Bible Students Press.

Carpenter, G. (2012). God’s covenants: A study guide in Bible symbolism. Thomas Nelson, Inc.

Conner, K. & Malvin, K. (1997). The covenants: The key to God’s relationship with Mankind. Portland, OR: Bible Temple Publishing.

Conner, K. (1980). Interpretation: The symbols and types. Portland, OR: Bible Temple Publishing.

Creswell, J. (2009). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

Ferguson, E. (2003). Backgrounds of early Christianity (3rd ed.). Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing.

Graves, R. (2009). The God of two testaments. Hazelwood, MO: Word Aflame Press.

Haney, N. (2004). Daniel’s 70 Weeks. Stockton, CA: Nathaniel Haney Publishers.

Haney, N. (2006). The times of the Gentiles: Biblical prophecy series, volume 4. Stockton, CA: Nathaniel Haney Publishers.

Kaiser, W. (1995). The Messiah in the Old Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.

Keener, D. (2003). The Gospel of John: A commentary, volume one. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic.

Keener, D. (2003). The Gospel of John: A commentary, volume two. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic.

Moltmann, J. The crucified God: A Trinitarian theology of the Cross. 278-299. Sage Publications. doi: 10.1177/002096437202600302

Norris, D. (2009). I AM: A Oneness Pentecostal theology. Hazelwood, MO: WAP Academic.

Paron, J. (2013, January 19). The three worlds of text. [Web blog post]. Retrieved from https://wordpress.com/post/specs12.wordpress.com/2017

Reeves, Kenneth. (1962). The Godhead, Book 1 (Revised) Seventh Printing. St. Louis, MO: Trio Printing Company.

Rydelnik, M. (2010). The Messianic hope. Chicago, IL: Moody Bible Publishers.

Segraves, D. L. (2008). Reading between the lines. Hazelwood, MO: Word Aflame Press.

Tate, W. R. (1997). Biblical interpretation: An integrated approach. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers.

Thayer, J. T. (2009). Thayer’s Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament (9th ed.) Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers. 

The Revealed Christ

Tags

Apostolic Pentecostal, Life of Christ, Progressive Revelation

Scripture reveals the identity of Jesus Christ during the seven periods of His life. A purpose of redemption arises within each from announcements of prophetic fulfillment and select events. Collectively, the events led to Jesus’ death and resurrection for all as well as the witness of the almighty God living among humans. Furthermore, each period’s fulfilled Old Testament prophecies progressively came to fruition with humanity’s redemption in Christ. Those who examine them in light of God’s revelation in Christ along with the distinct events of His life will witness the unfolding of His divine purpose. Using biblical prophecy, this article seeks to reveal the identity, life, and purpose of Jesus through their fulfillment; examine the periods of His life to uncover the spiritual truths behind them; and establish the integrity of God’s Word for the world today.

Period of Preparation

“Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, (23) Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us” (Matt 1:22-23 KJV).

The Period of Preparation began with the virgin birth of Christ and ended with His baptism. His baptism signaled God’s public revelation and divine anointing of Jesus as His beloved Son to Israel in the wilderness (Matt 3:16; Mark 1:11; Luke 3:22).

God’s awaited declaration of the Messiah’s arrival pinnacles this 30-year period of events. Matthew introduced Christ as Emmanuel at His birth explaining “God is with us” (Matt 1:23). After John baptized Jesus, God made public from heaven “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased” (Matt 3:16-17).

Scripture calls God the Father, Emmanuel (God with us), in the person of Christ. Initially, God lived with humans in the person of Jesus of Nazareth. Now, He lives in us through the outpouring of His Holy Spirit.  

Chronological Events of the Period   

• Christ conceived and born of a virgin (Matt 1:18-25)
• John the Baptist birthed 3 months prior to Jesus’ (Luke 1:57-65)
• Angels announced Christ’s birth (Luke 2:10-13)
• King Herod attempted to slay the Messiah (Matt 2:16-18)
• Mary and Joseph fled to Egypt with the Christ child by divine order (Matt 2:13-15)
• Mary kept all sayings regarding her child in her heart until fulfillment (Luke 2:19,51)
• Jesus attended the Jewish feasts yearly with His parents (Luke 2:41)
• Jesus grew up with a love for God’s Word (Luke 2:41-52)
• Though divine, Jesus was subject to His parents (Luke 2:52)
• Jesus continually matured in spirit, filled with wisdom and grace upon Him (Luke 2:40)

Period of Obscurity

“The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29).

Overlapping with the previous, the Period of Obscurity began with John the Baptist in the wilderness and ended with his death. The period focused on preparation but at a different level with two important truths: conversion and discipleship.

Upon the period’s opening, John the Baptist called the nation of Israel to repentance. His ministry sought to ready the people of Israel for Jehovah’s coming as the Messiah, the Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29). In another event, Jesus, although God in flesh, experienced temptation for 40 days prior to His ministry. He passed through the wilderness temptations, spiritually strong and prepared for ministry. Jesus then sought out His first disciples to whom He revealed Himself through Scripture (1:35-46).

This period also covered Jesus’ first year of ministry launched in Cana of Galilee and highlighted by the many miracles He performed, which manifested His glory (2:11). He arose from obscurity with miracles and teachings unlike others before Him. He declared Himself no ordinary prophet, but more. This period ended when Herod apprehended John the Baptist, making way for Christ’s Galilean ministry the following year.

Chronological Events of the Period 

• John the Baptist proclaimed Jesus as the Son of God and Lamb of God (John 1:34,36)
• Satan tempted Jesus for 40 days in the wilderness (Matt 4:1-11; Mark 1:12,13; Luke 4:1-13)
• Jesus revealed Himself to His first disciples using Scripture (John 1:35-51)
• Jesus performed His first miracle in Cana of Galilee (John 2:1-11)
• Jesus cleansed the temple at Jerusalem for the first time (John 2:13-22)
• Jesus performed many miracles at Jerusalem during the Passover feast (John 2:23-25)
• Jesus ministered to Nicodemus one night about new birth (John 3:21)
• Jesus ministered to the woman of Samaria and other Samaritans, revealing Himself to them through the Scriptures (John 4:5-42)
• Jesus performed His second miracle in Cana healing the nobleman’s son (John 4:46-54)

Period of Popularity   

Now when Jesus had heard that John was cast into prison, he departed into Galilee; (13) And leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is upon the sea coast, in he borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim: (14) That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, (15) The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles; (16) The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up. (17) From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matt 4:12-17).

Jesus’ 2nd year of ministry began in the region of Galilee when He dwelt in Capernaum following John the Baptist’s imprisonment. The Messiah’s Galilean ministry fulfilled prophecy from Isa 9:1-2, namely, the great light shining in the region of Galilee and the surrounding Zabulon, Naphtali, Jordan, and other areas.

Why did the Prophet Isaiah call it a great light? Israel’s Messiah-King had arrived, though born about thirty years earlier: The very Wonderful, Counselor, mighty God, everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace (Isa 9:6). Jesus characterizes the great light. God chose Galilee to reveal Himself and display His power to the nation. The Messiah’s light shined on those who sat in darkness and in the region of the shadow of death. Jehovah God of Israel stood ready to deliver His people from their sinful lifestyles and afflictions.

Jesus healed all manner of afflictions, forgave sin, cast out demons, preached, and taught great sermons until John the Baptist’s death. However, the nation of Israel failed to receive Jesus as Messiah, which resulted in rebuke and judgment for those cities who witnessed the glory of God in Jesus Christ (Matt 11).

Chronological Events of the Period

• Jesus healed and delivered (Matt 4:21-25) Jesus called Peter, Andrew, James, and John to serve with Him in ministry (Luke 5:1-11)
• Christ taught the Sermon on the Mount (Matt 5)
• Jesus raised the widow’s son in the city of Nain (Luke 7:11-17)
• Jesus taught Kingdom parables (Matt 18: 23-35; 20:1-16; 21:33-43; 22:1-14; 24:45-51; 25: 1-1-13; 14-30; and Luke 15:3-32)
• Jesus raised Jairus’ daughter from the dead (Luke 8:40-42, 49-56) 

Period of Intense Opposition

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, (21) And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears. (28) And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath,” (Luke 4:18, 21, 28).

Although Jesus’ ministry produced mounting popularity throughout and beyond Israel, it also drew a growing opposition of unbelief, uncertainty, and hatred eventually leading to His crucifixion. Jesus’ clash with Jewish tradition along with His messianic and divine claims, became the basis for His eventual rejection.

During Jesus’ 1st year of ministry, He did many miracles at the Passover feast in Jerusalem. Many Galileans there commemorated the feast also. Upon witnessing His miracles, the Galileans believed Him to be the Messiah, and took this testimony with them as they returned home. For this reason, many Galileans sought Him out and experienced Christ for themselves increasing His fame (John 4:45).

Shortly after His start, Jesus visited His hometown of Nazareth. During the synagogue service He declared Himself the Messiah, the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy. The whole congregation became enraged, which led them to seek His execution then but to no avail. Though God stood in their midst with confirmation, in ignorance, Jesus’ hometown did not receive Him. While the nation stood in unbelief, those who demonstrated faith saw and experienced His mighty works. This event marked a critical manifestation of messianic rejection early in Jesus’ ministry.

In another instance of opposition, Jesus drew conflict with the Jews at the Passover feast when He zealously drove out those who used God’s house as a means of personal gain. Despite His ministry producing true faith in many Jews concerning His identity, Jesus did not allow them to make Him their King. He came to die for the sins of the world. His time to reign as King awaited future fulfillment (John 2:13-25). The mounting opposition had to continue for humanity’s redemption to occur.

Chronological Events of the Period

• Jesus made provision for He and His disciples on the Sabbath (Matt 12:1-8)
• The Pharisees accused Jesus of casting out devils by the power of Beelzebub (Matt 12:24)
• Scribes and Pharisees demanded a sign from Jesus of His messianic claims (Matt 12:38-42)
• Jesus healed a withered hand (Luke 6:6-11), man with dropsy (14:1-6) and deformed woman on the Sabbath (13:10-17)
• Jesus claimed to be God; the Jews sought to kill Him (John 10:30-38)

Period of Persecution

“And being let go, they went to their own company, and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said unto them. (24) And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said, Lord, thou art God, which hast made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is: (25)  Who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things? (26) The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ. (27) For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together, (28) For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done” (Act 4:23-28).

The prior period escalated to the Period of Persecution (Greek: to pursue intently). It led to His eventual death. Jesus’ teachings clashed with rabbinic and Jewish interpretations of God’s word. Additionally, His miraculous acts continuously confirmed His claim to be the Son of God. So much so, anyone who confessed Him as Messiah was be put to death. The religious order of the Pharisees, Sadducees, Scribes, political order, lawyers, and Herodians rejected this obvious truth. Scripture says on occasion they sought to arrest and put Jesus to death. Luke recorded one account when Jesus, as an invited guest in one of the chief Pharisee’s home, healed a man with dropsy on the Sabbath. Using the man’s healing as a teaching tool, Jesus attempted to disclose their erroneous interpretation of the Sabbath but to no avail (Luke 14:1-6).

During His 3rd year of ministry, Jesus experienced continued and increased attempts on His life. These attempts had more to do with claims to be God than Jewish interpretation of Scripture (John 7-12). Without relent, the Jews led by their religious leaders pursued Jesus’ death. Acts 4 and Ps 2 prophetically recorded Israel and the nations (Rome) rising up against Jehovah and His Anointed (Hebrew: Christ). Here, the incarnation of Jehovah God in Christ receives ultimate rejection. But, Ps 2:8 declared the rejected Christ’s resurrection. God ordained Christ’s rejection with a greater purpose than Israel’s reason for killing Him. Using Israel’s hatred for Jesus and their eventual rejection, God made salvation available to everyone through the events of Jesus’ death and resurrection.

Chronological Events of the Period 

• Peter’s confession (Matt 16:13-17)
• Jesus healed an impotent man on the Sabbath (John 5:1-20)
• People divided in their opinions about Jesus (John 7:40-53)
• Official threats made against any who confessed Jesus as Christ (John 9:17-25)
• Jesus declared Himself to be the great I Am; the Jews sought to stone Him (John 8:54-59)
• Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead; the Jews wanted to kill Jesus and Lazarus (John 11)

Passion Week

“He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. (4)Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. (5) But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. (6) All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. (10) Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand” (Isa 53:3-6, 10). 

The prophetic purpose of Jesus’ coming and life came down to His final week. The preceding periods of His life converged upon this week of Passover, Nisan the 14th (Exod 12:6-15). Scripture, covenants, and dispensations awaited the sacrifice of the Lamb of God to deal with humanity’s sin and usher in a New Covenant era of grace. For over 3 years, many  loved and believed in Jesus, but the nation of Israel as a whole stood in unbelief and indecisiveness over His identity. Jesus continued to teach and perform miracles even through the spectacle of His death, but it produced no change in the hardness of Israel’s heart.

Jesus began this week with a final offer of Himself to Israel as King by riding into Jerusalem upon a donkey and its colt in fulfillment of the prophet Zechariah’s prediction (Zech 9:9). As the multitude who accompanied Him cried “Hosanna to the son of David: blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord,” the citizens of Jerusalem cried out “Who is this?” How did the multitude respond? They said, “This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee” (Matt 21:1-11). The multitude of followers who sang His praise saw Him as no more than a prophet. They beheld an anointed man of God who could be their Messiah but not God. They carried a flawed understanding of the Son of David. They believed Jesus to be their promised Messiah-King but not Jehovah their Lord (Matt 22:41-46). The Pharisees later persuaded many of them to put Jesus to death. Many of Israel’s political leaders believed in Jesus as the Messiah, but did not confess it openly for the Pharisees drove the opposition against Him.

This week further witnessed some of Jesus’ greatest teachings along with the promise of a second coming. He declared great revelations of His deity and silenced His opposition including rebuking the Pharisees (Matt 22:15-33; 23). On the eve of His arrest, He healed Malchus’ ear that Peter severed (24:29-31). Finally, His enemies apprehended Him on the feast day of Passover so God could make Jesus’ soul an offering for sin through death.

The prophet Isaiah wrote Jesus died for the transgression of God’s people (Isa 53:1-11). The prophet further revealed Christ’s death as a substitutionary act for everyone. It ended the need for the sacrifices required by the Law and opened the door for God’s enduring mercy promised to the repentant. His death for sin made it possible to abolish its dominion over humanity. And His final cry from the cross made the outpouring of the Holy Ghost possible and ended the dispensation of the Law.  

Chronological Events of this Period 

• Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem (Matt 21:1-11)
• Jesus cleansed the temple for the second time (Matt 21:12-17)
• Jesus cursed of the barren fig tree (Matt 21:18-22)
• Jesus taught the parable of the two sons (Matt 21:28-32); householder (21:33-46), marriage feast (22:1-14)
• Jesus silenced His opposition (Matt 22:15-46)
• Jesus taught against the Pharisees (Matt 23)
• Jesus instructed the disciples on end times and His second coming (Matt 24-25)
• Jesus and His disciples ate the last supper together (Matt 26:26-29)
• Jesus taught and washed feet on the eve of His crucifixion (Matt 13-16)
• Judas betrayed Christ (Matt 26:14-16)
• Multitude from the chief priests and elders arrested (Matt 26:47,50; John 18:12) and a crowd comprised of the High Priest, religious leaders, political leaders, Jews, Romans, and Gentiles took part in Jesus Christ’s crucifixion (Matt 26-27; Acts 4:26-28)
• Jesus Christ was resurrected from the dead (Matt 28)

Resurrection Appearances: 40 Days  

“I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death: O death, I will be thy plagues; O grave, I will be thy destruction: repentance shall be hid from mine eyes” (Hos 13:14).

This seventh and final period concludes the events of the Passion week, for the prophets not only foretold the death of the Messiah but His resurrection. God declared through the prophet Hosea that He would personally redeem His people from death and destroy it as a continual plague (Hos 13:14). Jehovah made Himself the ransom to abolish death’s reign over humanity. Being the incarnation of Jehovah, Jesus’ death paid the price for everyone’s rebellion against God. Isaiah made another prediction regarding Christ’s resurrection. He initially stated His soul, in death, would be an offering for sin, but the Messiah Himself shall prolong His days (Isa 53:10). Here, the prophet revealed the Messiah will raise Himself from the dead. This gives a decisive testimony to Jesus being both God and man in one person, a witness acknowledged by Thomas, 8 days following His resurrection (John 20:28).

The Jews in unbelief challenged Christ to deliver Himself from the cross if they were to believe, but for the time it went unanswered. In His death, Jesus left them with three undeniable signs. These events gave witness against their unbelief in Jesus as the Messiah, established the fact of His resurrection, and laid a powerful foundation for the proclamation of the Gospel.

With the first sign, Matthew recorded a great earthquake occurring when Jesus died. Divinely powerful and selective, it opened the graves of many saints of the Old Testament. They arose from death immediately after Jesus and showed themselves alive to the people of Jerusalem for the duration of the 40 days following His resurrection (Matt 27:50-53).

Upon the next sign, Scripture records the supernatural tearing of a heavy veil, 60 feet long and 30 inches wide, covering the entrance to the most holy place of the temple immediately following Jesus’ death (Matt 27:51). Expounded later by the epistle to the Hebrews, this indicated the divine termination of the temple system given by Moses. Men and women from all nations now can access the presence of God by faith in who Jesus is and His shed blood (Heb 10:19-22).

The final sign reverberated throughout the Roman empire. Angels appeared early that morning on the first day of the week and rolled away the stone to the empty tomb. Though the Roman authorities attempted to suppress it, a powerful testimony remained before them (Matt 28:1-4, 11-12). Jesus died under Roman power, but this angelic visitation to remove the stone guarded by soldiers demonstrated His resurrection and the superiority of His power to Rome.

During the 40 days Jesus gave personal witness of His resurrection to His followers on divers occasions. He left signs to Israel, but gave proofs along with scriptural exposition to His disciples. The latter proofs with exposition prepared His disciples to experience the outpouring of the Spirit, birth of His church, and proclamation of the Gospel. This period ended with Christ’s triumphant ascension to heaven. He took with Him resurrected saints and the spirits of those who did not rise, for His death was the price of their redemption. Furthermore, His ascension gave the promise of His return. His Church continues to proclaim His Word until then.

In summary, this period concludes the prophetic fulfillment concerning the life of Jesus Christ. It confirmed His resurrection with many infallible proofs and gave full scriptural exposition for all the events of His life. It further gave promise of the baptism of the Holy Ghost and the Lord’s return. Christ’s resurrection ultimately fulfilled those things spoken by the prophets. Prior to His departure, Jesus opened His disciples’ understanding to see these things in Scripture revealing His identity and purpose for coming  (Luke 24:45).

Chronological Events of the Period  

• Women visited the empty tomb (Matt 28:1-10; Mark:16:1-8; Luke 24:1-11)
• Peter and John saw the empty tomb (Luke 24:12; John 20:1-10)
• Guard reported on the resurrection events to the Jewish chief priests (Matt 28:11-12)
• Jesus’ appeared to Mary Magdalene (Mark 28:9-10; John 20:11-18); the other women (Matt 28:9-10); two disciples on the way to Emmaus (Mark 16:12-13; Luke 24:13-35); Simon Peter (Luke 24:33-35; 1 Cor 15:5); disciples without Thomas (Mark 16:14; Luke 24:36-43; John 20:19-25); Thomas and the disciples (John 20:26-31; 1 Cor 15:5); seven disciples on the Sea of Galilee (John 21); five hundred in Galilee (Matt 28:16-20; Mark 16:15-18; 1 Cor 15:6); and James, the brother of Jesus (1 Cor 15:7)
• Jesus appeared to the disciples with another commission (Luke 24:44-49; Acts 1:3-8)
• Jesus made His last appearance on Olivet and ascended into heaven (Mark 16:19-20; Luke 24:50-53; Acts 1:9-12)     

Conclusion

Collectively, these seven periods reveal the essential importance of prophecy. They prophetically reveal God’s identity and purpose in Christ, His sovereign rule over creation, His people’s lives, and the integrity of His Word. Prophecies remain to be fulfilled, but they pertain to Christ’s second coming. Until then the Lord seeks to fulfill the purpose for which He died and rose, the salvation of humankind.

Pastor Daryl Cox, August 8, 2016

Image from Pequea Church

 

 

If Any Man Will Come After Me

Tags

Beatitudes, Oneness of God

“Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me” (Matt 16:24 KJV).

Jan Paron|November 27, 2014

What does it mean to come after Jesus? Jesus’ identity needs uncovering before answering this question. In Matt 16, Jesus asked His disciples “Whom do men say that the Son of man am?” (16:13). His disciples gave various responses that others said, but none correct. So, Jesus asked the question again, “But whom say ye that I am?” (v. 15). Only Peter recognized Jesus’ true character and nature as “the Christ, Son of the living God” (v. 16b). The Christ reveals a title for God’s end-time purpose that Jesus will fulfill as the One who leads His people to final victory and judgment of the wicked (Apostolic Study Bible Commentary, 2014). Son of the living God describes Jesus’ nature or character. While a virgin birthed Jesus during the time of the law, God’s Spirit begat Him (Matt 1:18, 20; Luke 13:5; Gal 4:4; cf. Ps 2:7; Heb 1:5). Jesus was fully human and fully divine–Equal to God in His nature, character, and likeness as the image of the invisible God (Phil 2:6; Col 1:15; 2:9). Thus, Jesus is God Himself manifested in the flesh (1 Tim 3:16). Because God embodied Himself in Jesus, the believer has access to grace of salvation.

A Christ follower has to do one’s part in fellowship with Jesus, the Christ, Son of the living God. To come after Him (Matt 16:34), means to follow in the most committed sense as His disciple (Thayer, 2009). A person has to “deny himself” (v. 34b) and leave any worldly interests behind. Taking up the cross requires self-sacrifice, selflessness, and suffering for His sake. It calls for raising Jesus above all else. The beauty of self-denial in taking up the cross comes with eternal life and future reward of the Son of Man’s return in His glory (Matt 16:25, 27).

Jan Paron, All Rights Reserved 2014

References

• Bernard, D. (1994). The oneness view of Jesus Christ. Hazelwood, MO: Word Aflame Press.
• Thayer, J. (1999). Thayer’s Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publisher.

Examining the Reality of Jesus

Tags

Jehovah-Savior, Jesus, Oneness of God, power jesus, revelatory nature

What do the last events from Jesus’ earthly ministry to the Great Commission for disciple making tell us about His reality? Through each God revealed His greater character in the name of Jesus–Whose power originates from His divine nature as God manifested in flesh to be the Savior.  

Jan Paron/April 28, 2013

Theologian Richard Bauckham contends that a wide spectrum of people, ranging from believers to would-be believers, pursue the historical reality of Jesus.[1] These inquirers can broaden their knowledge of Jesus’ existence by studying His nature, life and missional agenda in the context of various events from His ministry. The Gospel evangelists authenticated the risen Savior with rich testimonies coming from eyewitness accounts of His redemptive works for humanity. To uncover Jesus’ being I explore His divine power, discipleship mandate and commission instructions (Matt 28:19-20) with select messianic turning points from His final days.

Jesus’ Power

Jesus told His disciples, “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth” (28:18 KJV). Thayer’s lexicon defines power (Greek: exousia, ἐξουσία) in this verse to mean, “power of him whose will and commands must be submitted to by others and obeyed [generally translated as authority].”[2] Jesus’ power originates from His divine nature as God manifested in flesh to be the Savior. God revealed His greater character in the New Testament through the name of Jesus, “Jehovah-Savior” (Matt 1:21, 23; Acts 4:12; Phil 2:9).[3] We learn more about God’s revelatory nature from the last days during the life of Christ. One such occurred during the Last Supper when Jesus foretold His disciples of the glorious and resurrected “Son of man” (Matt 26:24; Mark 14:21; Luke 22:22; cf., Dan 7:13; Mark 14:62). In another, Jesus affirmed His identity to the high priest’s trial query as “Christ, the Son of the Blessed” (Mark 14:61). Thus, in both instances, God fully discloses His nature and authority in Jesus with the names Son of Man and Christ, “For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily” (Col 2:9 NKJV).

Jesus’ Mandate

“Go then and make disciples of all the nations” (Matt 28:19a AMP). The resurrected Jesus (i.e., Christ and Son of Man) commanded His apostles to continue His ongoing mission to spread salvation, and take on the role of disciples making disciples. In doing so, He imparted sweeping foundational principles for discipleship that extended into the future for all those who would believe on Him through their apostolic witness (John 17:20). They carried out His mandate with power. The word then (Greek: oun, οὖν; Matt 28:19a) shows Jesus empowering His apostles through Himself (28:18). With New Birth, all believers have Jesus’ authority through His incarnation as the living God in all fullness. He authorizes this power for the commission through the nature of His name.

Jesus’ Instructions

Jesus’ commissioned disciples to reproduce themselves. He instructed them to “go” (28:19a), “baptizing” (v.19b) and “teaching them to observe” everything He commanded them (v.20a). After spending three years with Jesus as He walked among the people, the original Twelve saw Him disciple others from Galilee to Jerusalem. Even during times of persecution, Jesus did not cease. For example, He proclaimed the good news (John 18:36-37); performed miracles (Luke 17:11-19; John 11:1-16); healed individuals and crowds (Matt 19:1-2); laid hands and prayed for children (Matt 19:15) and taught about kingdom of God ethics (i.e., Matt 19; Luke 18:18-27). Jesus even prayed for those who crucified Him (23:34) and pardoned the repentant thief (v.43) as He hung on the cross. Jesus modeled discipleship to the end.

Closing: Jesus at Emmaus

Therefore, what can we glean from Jesus’ nature, life and missional agenda from the latter periods leading to the Great Commission? Kevin J. Vanhoozer notes that, “Meaning is actualized not by the author at the point of the text’s conception but by the reader at the point of the text’s reception.”[4] Despite historical and spiritual proofs of Jesus’ existence, people receive Gospel testimonies at the point of its reception as Vanhoozer suggests. A sometimes unbelieving, postmodern world might reject eyewitness proofs; however, I recognize Jesus at Emmaus with eyes wide-open living within me today. “It is true! The Lord has risen” (Luke 24:34a NIV). As for me, I run to share this news and make disciples of all nations without end.

From the All Nations Leadership Institute class “Walking through the Word, Part Two,” reprinted with permission. All Rights Reserved, All Nations Leadership Institute, 2013.

ENDNOTES

[1] Richard Bauckham, Jesus and the Eyewitnesses: The Gospels as Eyewitness Testimony (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans, 2006), 2.

[2] Joseph H. Thayer, Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Peabody: Hendrickson, 2009), 225.

[3] David, Bernard, The Oneness of God (Hazelwood: Word Aflame Press, 2000).

[4] Kevin J. Vanhoozer, Hearing the New Testament (ed. Joel Green; Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans, 1995), 301.

Photo credits: Go!– Sharefaith.com; Godhead–Pope of Pentecost

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Bauckham, Richard. Jesus and the Eyewitnesses: The Gospels as Eyewitness Testimony. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2006.

Beal, G. K. and D. A. Carson, eds. Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2007.

Bernard, David. In the Name of Jesus. Hazelwood, MO: Word Aflame Press, 1992.

______________. The Oneness of God. Hazelwood, MO: Word Aflame Press, 2000.

______________. Oneness View of Jesus Christ. Hazelwood, MO: Word Aflame Press, 1994.

Evans, Craig A. Matthew: New Cambridge Bible Commentary. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2012.

Han, Nathan E. A Parsing Guide to the Greek New Testament. Scottsdale: Herald Press, 1971.

Levine, Amy-Jill, Dale C. Allison and John Crossan, eds. The Historical Jesus in Context. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2006.

Root, Orrin. A Survey of the Bible: Training for Service Student Book. Cincinnati: Standard, 1998.

Thayer, Joseph H. Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament. Peabody: Hendrickson, 2009.

Turner, David L. Matthew: Baker Exegetical Commentary of the New Testament. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2008.

Vanhoozer, Kevin J. Hearing the New Testament. Edited by Joel Green. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans, 1995.

Wright, N.T. The Challenge of Jesus: Rediscovering Who Jesus Was and Is. Downers Grove: IVP Academic, 1999.

The Baptism of Jesus

Tags

Baptism of Jesus, Oneness

The baptism of Jesus was the official anointing and declaration of Jesus as Christ, the Son of God to Israel. The details of this event were a composite witness that occurred just prior to the start of His ministry. The fulness of time had come: The Son of God was about to be sent forth, but not without a witness from heaven. It must be understood that along with John’s preaching, the appearance of the Spirit in the form of a dove and the Father speaking from heaven did not give witness to three persons within God’s being. God’s speaking from heaven and the Spirit’s anointing all were directed at Christ. While the Bible does teach the Father, Son and Holy Ghost as distinct expressions that describe the one God, this account does not teach that these expressions are three distinct persons within the being of God. This leads to a separation of God’s complete revelation in Jesus Christ. If we observe the Scripture’s explanations about God speaking from heaven and His Spirit descending on Christ, we will understand that this event does not testify to the three persons of the trinity but give a powerful testimony of Jesus Christ. Also revealed by this account is the New Covenant way of living: the sons of God having access to the heavens by the indwelling of the Spirit of God.

Pastor Daryl Cox/February 11, 2013

Calling of Christ

The Calling of Christ is superior to all the callings and appointments of men and women of God recorded in the Old Testament. The title Christ comes from the Greek word Christos. It means the anointed one. It is synonymous with the Hebrew word for Messiah, Masiah. The Hebrew and Greek words for anoint indicate the smearing or rubbing with oil and consecrating to an office or service.  The reference is to God’s Holy One, Christ: “He said unto them, But whom say ye that I am? Peter answering said, The Christ of God” (Luke 9:20 KJV).  As the Lord’s Christ, Jesus is called and anointed as the Prophet, Priest and King spoken of throughout the Old Testament. The anointing occurred at His baptism. His anointing was with the unlimited measure of the Holy Ghost to fulfill  His calling and all that was written of Him (Luke 4:17-21, John 3:34-35). God’s act of redemption was accomplished in His anointed (2 Cor 5:19). The anointing of Christ not only was limited to His earthly callings as Prophet, Priest and King as other men were; but also, His anointing revealed Him as the Christ, God in flesh. He did not become God at His baptism, but the God of the Old Testament was confirmed in Him by the Holy Ghost. Our redemption requires not only a human being, but God who alone had the power to redeem (1 Cor 15:21-22). The Bible states “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily” (Col 2:8-9). When the Bible declares the existence of the one God, He is called the Father (John 17:3, 1 Cor 8:6, Eph 4:6). Father is the title that describes God in relationship to Creation, the Church and to Christ. The relationship between God and Christ must be understood as the God and human relationship of the incarnation: the union of God and man in the person of Christ. As Jesus said, “I and my Father are one” (John 10:30). The title Christ identifies Jesus as both God and man.

The Baptism of Jesus

The four Gospel authors record the baptism of Jesus. The Apostle John omits the detail of God speaking from heaven from his Gospel, but he does record the account of the Spirit’s descent in the form of a dove with an explanation. He records the words of John the Baptist “And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God” (John 1:33-34). John the Baptist knew Jesus as a family relative, but not as the Son of God. He knew of Jesus, the angelic visitations and His virgin birth from his parents, but he was to receive a revelation from God that would confirm what had been told him. It was not until the Spirit descended upon Jesus that John saw Him as He truly was. True ministry must be based on the leading of the Spirit and revelation of Scripture and not just tradition. The Spirit’s descent upon Christ was an authoritative and public anointing that declared Him to be the Son of God. God speaking from heaven was an additional witness to the people of who Jesus of Nazareth was. Both the Spirit and the voice from heaven were the Father’s witness of Jesus (Luke 4:18, John 5:37 and Acts 10:38). The presence of the Spirit was a distinct operation of God in anointing and not another person of the Godhead. The opening of the heavens to Christ revealed the Holy Ghost would permanently rest upon Him. From Jesus came mighty miracles, signs and wonders in the lives of the people of Israel. The presence of the Spirit gives God’s people access to His eternal glory and all He ordained for them. In the present Church age, the Holy Ghost is the Spirit of adoption that allows us to be called sons of God.

Identity of Jesus

The Father speaking from heaven declared the identity of Jesus before all who were present at His baptism.  Matthew records “And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased (Matt 3:16-17). God declared Jesus to be His Son. It also is interesting what God further states. He declares that Jesus was His Son in whom He was well pleased. The omnipresent God declared from heaven His presence in His Son. The baptism of Jesus did not reveal God as another person with a separate identity, but it revealed God the Father in the person of Jesus Christ. To behold the Son of God is to behold God in flesh. The incarnation allows us to call Jesus our Father without denying He is the Father’s Son (Isa 9:6). Paul says “Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace” (2 Thess 2:16). The subject of this verse is “our Lord Jesus Christ himself” our Lord and God, even our Father, who loved us. This verse declares Jesus to be our Father and closely associates it His death on the cross. What makes the giving of God’s Son in death a unique expression of His love for us is that He was God in flesh. He did not send someone else. He came as a man Himself. This act made possible the New Covenant relationship: God with us in favor and in us by His Spirit.

My Beloved, in Whom I Am Well Pleased

Matthew records two other times these same words were spoken with regards to Jesus. In Matt 12:38, the Gospel author quotes Isa 42:1 “Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall shew judgment to the Gentiles. In this passage, God declared His soul (His very being) was pleased to be in His beloved servant, Christ. And finally, at what is called the Transfiguration, Peter, James and John saw the form of Jesus lifted from lowliness and began to shine forth with His glory. A cloud overshadowed them, and God spoke out of that cloud saying once again “While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him” (Matt 17:5). The glory they saw emanating from Christ was the Father. They were commanded to hear Christ, for His message is superior to that of Moses and Elijah, who were also present. The Gospel is a greater message, for it is the message of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jesus spoke and taught with an authority greater than the inspired writings of the Old Testament, and the Gospel is the declaration of His lordship and victory over sin and death that gives eternal life. We are to follow it and the interpretation of the Old Testament Scriptures given by His apostles. Three thoughts are to be observed from these three accounts: First, Jesus is the beloved Son of God; second, Jesus is the Son, chosen and anointed with the Spirit of God as a servant; and third, Jesus is the Son in whom the Father is pleased to dwell. When we look at the foregoing passages, we come to a conclusion that is Christ centered and rich with insight about God’s omnipresence; His incarnation in Christ; the anointing of Christ and the preeminence of the Gospel. The anointing of the Holy Ghost draws our attention to Christ where the Father is revealed in Him. These three thoughts are supported in two different passages. In 2 Cor 5:19 it says, “To wit, that God was in Christ (the Anointed), reconciling the world unto himself: John 14:10 reiterates this same, “Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.”

Conclusion

In conclusion, the baptism of Jesus gives us a powerful witness of Jesus as the Christ. John said he came baptizing with water to present the Messiah, and it was during Christ’s baptism that a powerful testimony was given. Although the account speaks of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, the application of the context from each Gospel gives us a good understanding of Christ’s revelation to Israel. The omnipresence of God is the key to understanding this account (1 Kings 8:27). We must know that God can manifest Himself simultaneously at once and everywhere without dividing His nature or identity. He did speak from heaven while His Spirit descended upon His Son being baptized. Christ’s baptism marked the beginning of His great ministry, as well as demonstrated His authoritative anointing as the Servant of God and the power that would be manifested in His ministry, death and resurrection for our redemption. We must understand that the focus of this twofold manifestation of God is toward the person of Jesus Christ and not two other distinct persons. This account confirms Jesus to be the one God in flesh: ”For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Tim 2:5). It also reveals what we were to become through New Birth, the sons of God. These points also help confirm that the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost commanded for Christian baptism is Jesus according to Matt 28:19 and Acts 2:38. The permanent resting of the Holy Ghost upon Christ testifies of God living in us by His Spirit and the inheritance that is ours in Him.

Pastor Daryl Cox

The One God, Part 2: The Incarnation

Tags

Incarnation, Oneness of God

Pastor Daryl Coxexplains the incarnation in relation to the oneness of God, from his earlier post, The One God, Part I.

Daryl Cox / October 30, 2012

Revelations 11:15 enlightens the thought of God’s oneness begun in the previous article, the One God:

And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, the kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever” (KJV).

The Jewish confession of faith called the Shema, found in Deut 6:4, declares God as the one God to the exclusion of all others that are called God. This verse declares that God is one. The Hebrew echad [1] shows a numerical oneness, indicating unity of all components that complete the total picture. God is God alone; and He has revealed Himself in diverse ways throughout Scripture by different names, titles, covenants and visions. This diversity defines His identity, character, purpose, will and power, but one must understand that this diversity finds its ultimate unity in one person, Jesus Christ the Son of God.

(Image: Jan Paron, All Rights Reserved 2007)

Revelations 11:15c, announces that “the kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign forever and ever.” It is our Lord and His Christ who will rule the nations here on earth for a thousand years. Now, this verse calls our Lord and His Christ a he and not they. It is not a unity of plural persons in the Godhead that is being addressed here but the unity of the incarnation. The word he from 11:15, is Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the union of the Lord God Almighty and His Anointed in one human person. The Apostle John shows in John 1:1, 14 that, “the Word was God” and that “the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us.” He also clarifies that the Word made flesh is called the Son of God. Scholars describe this uniting of God and man in one person as the incarnation. The word incarnation by definition refers to the act by which God became man. John 1:14 and Rom 1:3 confirm this meaning. The distinction is clear. The Word was God. The flesh is the Son of God begotten from the human ancestry of King David. John further enlightens the reader that he and the other disciples beheld Christ’s glory in His humanity, and His glory was full of grace and truth. The Old Testament prophets and Israelites saw the glory of God in diverse forms, but God did not fully reveal His glory to them until the birth of His Son (1:14). The glory of God revealed in the person of Jesus Christ is God’s truth for us today. Believers must seek to know and understand God in the context of the incarnation and not in the context of three persons. The knowledge of the Son of God is essential to bringing the church to the unity of the faith

Revelations 11:15 demonstrates two truths. One truth shows the union of the deity and humanity of Jesus Christ, declaring Jesus as the Lord our God and God’s anointed King. The incarnation gives truth that Jesus is the one God. Do not allow this truth to obscure the second truth–the relationship that exists between God and Christ. From the perspective of His deity one sees Jesus as the Sovereign God, the Creator and Lord manifested in flesh. From the standpoint of Jesus’ humanity one sees Him as called and anointed by God to fulfill all that is written of Christ in both the Old and New Testaments. When the Son of God was revealed in the fulness of time, He was revealed as a man made of human lineage who learned obedience to fulfill the scriptures. This explains Christ’s prayer life, His compassion for the oppressed, His statements of submission to God, His sufferings and His death and resurrection. He grew in His relationships with God and man. These statements and accounts are answered in the context of the scriptures that address them, but never to the denial of Jesus as the one God. Jesus always spoke as a human servant under the anointing of the Spirit of God, but His anointing revealed Him to be God by the things He both said and did.

Jan Paron, in her writing about the oneness of God, makes an important observation about the Word dwelling among us (1:14). She says that

Some scholars suggest that the Gospel of John specifically shows an ancient form of biography of Whom the subject is Jesus. Indeed this Gospel chronicles the earthly ministry of the “Word,” according to the recurrent theme of following (Greek: ἀκολουθέω) Jesus to where He dwelled among the people in fulfillment of the law. Through the “Word,” Jesus, comes grace and truth” (1:17). John states in the opening verse that “the Word was God” and the “Word was with God. Jesus parallels this statement in John 14:10 with “I am in my Father, and my Father is in me…I speak not of myself, but the Father that dwelleth within me…”[2]

Though called of God, Jesus was not speaking of Himself as a servant when He made the great I AM declarations of John’s Gospel. He was speaking of the Father in Him. Servants do not declare their greatness only their masters. For Jesus to speak of the Father by declaring who He is demonstrated His identity as the Father though He were a servant here on earth. The I AM statements of Christ in the Book of John identify God in the person of Jesus Christ. The fulfillment of the Law and prophets required a human called of God and obedient to the will of God (2 Cor 15:21). The incarnation and trials of life made this possible in Jesus Christ. His obedience brought about the redemption of man and restoration of God’s creation.

God is called in Eph 1:3, “the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” This statement speaks to the covenant God made with both Abraham and His descendant Son after the flesh, Christ. It also speaks to the literal begetting of the Son of God by the Spirit of God in both birth and resurrection (Luke 1:34-35; Acts 13:33).  Each of the covenants of scripture ordains blessing and fulfillment to diverse peoples. Sin hindered humankind’s complete partaking of these covenants until the death of Jesus Christ dealt with sin and made the fulfillment of God’s covenants possible and accessible to mankind by faith. The covenant blessings God ordained in Christ would be given to men and women of all races who are in Christ or united to Him by baptism into His name and the infilling of His Spirit (Acts 2:38; 1 Cor 15:22). Christ in His humanity is the heir of all the covenants of Scripture for the human race. In Him, believers partake of all spiritual blessings in the heavenlies. The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ revealed Himself in the person of His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ…Revealed Himself to make covenant with the elect through the blood of Christ’s death and resurrection…Revealed Himself in the unity of God’s fulness.

Finally, understanding the incarnation and recognizing the relationship between God and His Son in this context brings about a more cohesive understanding to the Word of God. It allows believers to understand the relationship of Christianity’s teaching to Judaism, as well as establishes believers in the present truth of God’s Word. Many incorrect statements have been made and some truthful statements taken to the extreme have led to incorrect thinking. If the Bible teaches that Jesus is the Father, does one say that Jesus prayed to Himself, or that the second person of the Godhead prayed to the first person? In the language of the Scripture, Jesus “prayed to God” and “prayed to the Father” (Luke 6:12; John 14:15). It is best to say it as the Scripture states it, while also recognizing that yes, Jesus is our Father. According to Heb 5:7, Jesus prayed in the “days of his flesh to him (God) who was able to save him from death.” In the same book, the author goes on to say that the Son of God is addressed as both God and God’s Anointed (1:8-9). The expressions of Father, Son and Holy Ghost pertain to the person of Jesus Christ (2 Cor 4:6). These designations also give a biblical knowledge of God in relationship with His Son and all New Testament believers in Christ. The union of deity and humanity in the person of Christ allows a human and divine interaction between the Father and the Son. This same thought exists with Christ and the Holy Ghost. In light of this understanding, the scriptures return one to the original premise that there is no separate knowledge of God apart from Jesus Christ.

(Image: Pentecostal Pope)

I will end this writing with the words of the great apostle, Paul. “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in Him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily” (Col 2:8-9).

Pastor Daryl Cox

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[1] F. Brown, S. Driver, and C. Briggs, The Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon, (Peabody: Hendrickson Publisher, 2010), 25

[2] Jan Paron, Word Made Flesh and Dwelt Among Us, Part I, Cited: 30 October 2012, Online: https://specs12.wordpress.com/2012/09/29/the-word-was-made-flesh-and-dwelt-among-us/

The One God, Part I

Tags

Apostolic Pentecostal, Oneness of God

In general, Christianity confesses its belief in one God and some in Jesus Christ’s deity; however, since the days of the apostles to our current day many modified that belief, resulting in debate and divisions within. Deuteronomy 6:4 states, “Hear O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD” (KJV). This passage of Scripture declares that there is no other God but one. It also testifies to unity of a diverse, progressive revelation that finds its completion in Him Who is called the LORD. In this post, I examine this passage and others for the biblical message of the oneness of God and Jesus Christ’s deity.

Daryl Cox / October 5, 2012

There Is One God, and He Is One

What does the Scripture mean when it states there is one God? Why does it say He is one? God is a Spirit. He is invisible and revealed Himself in His creation of all things and by His Word, the Bible. Deuteronomy 6:4 declares that the God of Israel is the true God to the exclusion of all others. Mark 12:28-34 endorses this interpretation.  A scribe asks Jesus, “Which is the first commandment of all?” Jesus responds, “The first of all the commandments is, Hear O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord” (12:29b). Then, the scribe follows with, “Well Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he” (v. 32). Finally, the discourse concludes with “And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him Thou art not far from the kingdom of God” (v. 34b). Jesus endorses this man’s understanding of Deut 6:4, also known by the Jews as the Shema, the Jewish confession of faith. It is interesting that Jesus told the scribe that with his understanding he was not far from the kingdom of God. Now what understanding would have gotten him in the kingdom? Jesus said in another passage, John 8:24, “I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.” Had the scribe recognized Jesus as the God of Deut 6:4 he could have come to the kingdom in that point of history. The Shema recognizes no other God but Jehovah.

Old and New Testament Unity of Meaning

Other Old Testament authors declare the same message. In Isaiah 45:5, it says “I am LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside me.” Further, two passages in Jer 10 speak to this message, “Forasmuch as there is none like unto thee, O LORD; thou art great, and thy name is great is great in might” (10:6); and “But the LORD is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlasting king” (v. 10c). The Old Testament gives us the belief in one God, Who is sovereign to all that exists. We are to love Him with loyalty to the utmost.

When we go to the New Testament, it reiterates the same thought. There is one God and He is one. Jesus and the authors of the New Testament establish profound thoughts with regards to God’s oneness. These authors acknowledge mankind’s belief in more than one God, but they state that the gods of humanity are not gods by nature. Their theologies cannot match the theology of what the Bible says about God. Galatians 4:8 says, “Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are not gods.” When the New Testament authors say there is one God, they addressed Him as Father because He is the Creator. Jesus said in John 17:3, “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee (The Father) the only true God and Jesus Christ, whom thou has sent.” It is the Father who called the only True God. Paul in 1 Cor 8:6a says, “But to us there is but one God, the Father.” The Scriptures see the one God as Father and this one God seeks true worshipers of Himself. The church of the Book of Acts retains the monotheistic belief of the Old Testament. There is no hint of radically changing this truth in the New Testament writings. Retaining the Old Testament view of God’s oneness was the early church’s (of the Book of Acts) way of safe guarding itself from idolatry and error. It is the same safe guard for us today.

Closing

Finally, the oneness of God is the biblical truth that the God of the Bible is the only True God. This excludes the ideologies declared by men to be the True God. He has no distinction of persons in His nature. Scripture addresses Him as the Father because He is Creator of all; however, He has revealed Himself diversely and progressively throughout Scripture to conclude His revelation in the person of His Son, Jesus Christ. This is the truth that keeps us from error. God desires to make Himself known to all, but only those who respond to His call and seek Him will find.

Pastor Daryl Cox

This writing explains the oneness of God, the center point of the Apostolic hermeneutical framework, as a companion piece to the Word Was Made Flesh, and Dwelt Among Us.  Part two follows with greater detail on the oneness of God and incarnation.

Pastor Daryl Cox

Pastor Cox is one of the faculty members at All Nations Leadership Institute (ANLI), as well as an assistant pastor at Lighthouse Church of All Nations. As one of the ANLI staff members, he teaches From Calling to Covenant: The Story of David and Jesus Across the Gospels.

All Nations Leadership Institute prepares and equips men and women for ministry in an urban, multicultural environment. It offers a wide array of classes in theology and leadership. Affiliated with Lighthouse Church of All Nations, the Institute hallmarks bridging the gap leadership.

By: C. P. Kilgork