THE MAN NAMED JESUS |
Written by Michael Nevins
"For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. (II Jn 1:7KJV)
Jesus did not come to the earth to behave as God. He came to reveal unto us by the power of the spoken word the nature and power of the Father. God did not become God (That would be absurd)- no God became flesh. This truth is vital to understanding proper anthropology. If he came to earth as God then we are not saved and the life he lived would have been totally unattainable to us and without form, because;
"No
man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the
Father, he hath declared him. [ He has revealed Him He has brought Him out where He can be
seen; He has interpreted Him and He has made Him known] John 1:18 (KJV/Amp)
Phil 2:5-9
5 Let this same attitude and purpose and [humble] mind be in you, which
was in Christ Jesus: [Let him be your example in humility]
6 Who, being in the form of God, did not think this equality with God
was a thing to be eagerly grasped or retained. (So then
he became what?)
7 But stripped himself [of all rightful privileges and rightful
dignity], so as to assume the guise of a servant (slave), in that he became like men and
was born a human being.
8 And after he appeared in human form, he abased and humbled himself
[still further] and carried his obedience to the extreme death, even the death of the
cross.
9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which
is above every name: (KJV/Amp)
The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us. Man is flesh. The two words are
synonymous within the context and definition of man. What does it mean "The
Word was made flesh?" God the Father announced to Mary that she would have a
baby and this baby would be named Jesus. God with us and revealed to us by a humble
man named Jesus. The key phrase here is HUMBLE--to set aside and bring low--to make of no reputation-- no
power--helpless--without strength--totally dependent on another. This was Jesus in
the flesh.
"For as we all know, he did not take hold of angels [the fallen angels] but he did take hold of the seed of Abraham. "So it is evident that it was essential that he be made like his brethren in every respect, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the things related to God, to make atonement and propitiation for the people's sins." (Heb 2:17 KJV/Amp)
The fact that Jesus
became man in every respect was not only true--it was absolutely necessary.
We need to understand clearly what it means when it says God
was made flesh. First it is clear from Heb 2:17 above that being made flesh means
that he was made 100% man. He was the son of God in that he was sent by God born of
a virgin by the Spirit. He was the son of man in that he was born of man in the
flesh.
"And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us" (John 1:14a KJV)
So by the power of the Father the word became flesh. Now it is important that we define what the word flesh means according to the clear teachings of scripture.
Jesus said by his own words;
1. "It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. (John 6:63 KJV)
2. "I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me. (John 5:30 KJV)
3. "Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. (Matt 26:41 KJV) (The word weak in the Greek= Impotent )
Jesus was made flesh and he said his flesh 1. profiteth nothing; 2. could do nothing; 3. and was impotent.
This is why he said on over eight occasions in the Gospel of John that:
"The son can do nothing of himself" (John 5:19 KJV) (5:30,6:38, 7:17, 8:28, 12:49-50, 14:31, 15:15)
Nothing is not something. The trinity teaching says that Jesus came as God not man and states that he possessed personal power and divinity that belonged to him privately apart from his Father. He was his own God so to speak. The very heart of sin is for any man to say he has personal power and wisdom. This is the lie of Satan to man and is what the devil tempted Jesus with in the wilderness. He tried to get Jesus to behave independently of the Father. God is not three persons nor does He have a split personality. He can not be divided into thirds. He is one God. Jesus did came from God, but he came as a man to reveal the power of his Father to us. The Father dwelt in him by the holy spirit and taught him all things as a man.
"To wit,
that God was in Christ,
reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath
committed unto us the word of reconciliation. (2 Cor 5:19)
Jesus came as the lamb slain, powerless and
impotent. Everything that he did was the workings of the Father through him. He did not come to
promote himself as God, he came to humble himself as a man.
The words he spoke where not his words:
"the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. (John 14:10b KJV)
"Then
said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am
he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things. (John 8:28KJV)
"For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should
say, and what I should speak." (John 12:49KJV)
"For I have given unto them the words which thou
gavest me; and they have received them, and have known
surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me. (John 17:8 KJV)
Jesus did not come to promote his flesh.
"And I seek not mine own glory: there is one that seeketh and judgeth." (John 8:50KJV)
"He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same
is true, and no unrighteousness is in
him." (John 7:18
KJV)
"And when he was gone
forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good
Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life? And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is
none good but one, that is, God." (Mark 10:17-18KJV)
"For even Christ
pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The
reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me." (Rom 15:3KJV)
The miracles and wonders where not done by him but by the Father through him, the vessel.
"Men of
Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, A MAN attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs which God did through him in your midst,
as you yourselves know-- (Acts 2:22 RSV)
The words of God where spoken through Jesus by the Spirit of
God and it was this truth that delivered man from the spirit of sin that indwelt him.
"But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom
of God is come unto you." (Matt 12:28KJV)
Jesus came in the power of the Father not his own power.
"Jesus
said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came
from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me." (John 8:42KJV)
"Now they have known that all things whatsoever
thou hast given me are of thee. For I have given unto them the words
which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and
have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst
send me" (John 17:7-9KJV)
Jesus was the son of God not a separate God
"Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God" (I Jn 4:15KJV)
Jesus did not
raise himself from the dead.
"That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord
Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath
raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. (Rom
10:9KJV)
God does not obey anyone. God does not need to
learn. God does not get hungry. God can not die. God does not say he can do nothing
or we have major problems on our hands. God is not tempted. God does not get
tired. God can not be seen. God can not be born. Yet Jesus did all these
things. How do you explain it? The Word God the Father made himself flesh a
son. The son came in the flesh the power was the Father. The son (flesh) was
the expression of the Father (Power) to us by the Spirit (Mediator).
I Jn 4:1-3
1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets
are gone out into the world.
2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every
spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:
3 And every spirit that confesseth not
that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and
this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now
already is it in the world. (KJV)
To simply say Jesus was God completely undermines the reason he came. He came to be man (flesh) not God. He was a man for which there was no guile found. He was born of a virgin without sin dwelling in him. This was his unique feature. His righteousness and perfection as a man was stated in John 7:14-18.
"Now about the midst of the feast Jesus went up into the temple, and taught. And the Jews marveled, saying, How knoweth this man letters, having never learned? Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me. If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself. He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him." Again, no unrighteousness was in him because he came not to promote himself or seek his own glory.
"I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own (self) will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me. (John 5:30 KJV)
The spirit of God dwelt in Him and empowered him and taught him all that which he spoke. Jesus' nature was that of the indwelling Father, his power was made evident by the words he spoke (The Word made flesh) not by claiming personal glory.
This is a definition of a perfect, humble and obedient Jesus, and so "Let this same attitude and purpose and [humble] mind be in you, which was in Christ Jesus: [Let him be your example in humility]" (Phil 2:5) Jesus never forgot where the power was from and so that is why he did not sin. He was always in total dependence on the Father for all things. This is the miracle of Jesus the man!
"And the spirit
of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of
counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD; And this
shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes,
neither reprove after the hearing of his ears:" (Isa 11:2-3 KJV)
Click Here to read a post that I made on a message board regarding this topic.