Today, focus is on the demonstration of perfected humanity that was shared by the GODhead using the device of Incarnation. As the heir to Adam, created from dust and sacred breath, Jesus appeared on the earth as someone inheriting the human condition that includes appetite, sensation (e.g., hearing, seeing, tasting, touching), mortality, and being limited by emotion (e.g., anger, fear, sorrow) and finite human tools of the mind (e.g., “secular knowledge,” carnal reason, logic, philosophy, science). Jesus was not born having recall of his exalted station within the GODhead, or full knowledge of the promises to Abraham, the covenants of Moses and David, or the role he was to ultimately fulfill as Messiah, and the one prophesied to die on the cross. Jesus also encountered evil, and was tested by the Devil in the wilderness. The things Jesus spoke and performed had to be expressions of his own conviction, discoveries, and faith. Correctly understood, then, the holy writings only provide descriptions of Jesus Christ on the earth as another man who, through the active presence who is GOD the Father, also fulfills multiple sacred offices (e.g., exorcist, healer, judge, king, prophet, priest, teacher). What continues to puzzle many believers is that the Lord’s origin has been by operations of the Holy Spirit that are not aspects of Creation, that have not been detailed and revealed to created beings and living creatures, and that speak to the use of form by spirit without corruption, defilement, or profanity. More than this, many are overwhelmed by the teaching that Jesus became the embodiment of our sin on the cross, faced sacred judgment, and endured divine wrath. The fighter at “Yahoo! Answers” with the ID “Corvus Blackthorne” (Level 4 with 4,355 points, a member since August 02, 2017) posted the following:
If Jesus was God, why are there multiple instances in which he worships God as a separate entity?
John 17 leaps to mind.
THE GOLDEN ARROW: God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high: Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. (Hebrews 1: 1-4, King James Version, KJV)
THE DOUBLE DAGGER: What Would Moses Say? (10/27/2017); The Device of Incarnation (10/18/2017); Making Sense of Preexistence? (10/06/2017); The Word of GOD (09/05/2017); Conforming to Divine Standards (06/18/2017); A Species of Animal? (01/31/2017); Word, Son, and Christ? (08/24/2016)
“Corvus Blackthorne,” looking upon Christ we are to see a man within a process of GOD, not a god in a process of men. Jesus Christ appeared on the earth to carry out and fulfill, multiple divine, eternal purposes. In addition to exposing the operations of sin as a personification of sacred law, Christ would embody the fullness of divinity (we say, the GODhead, Father, Son and Holy Spirit). The Word (breath, life essence, spirit, utterance) appearing embodied in flesh and blood as a son of Adam would continue and complete divine revelation of the character, makeup, and substance of divinity using praise, prayer, proclamation, promise, prophecy, and rebirth to establish among mankind the same oneness without sameness that exists within the GODhead.
Even though the witness of Adam and many of the Patriarchs was available on the earth for nearly one thousand years, and the duties of sacred priesthood were being performed for atonement, expiation, and remission of sin, it was still required that Jesus be sent to demonstrate perfected humanity. While his conception was through the authority and power of GOD, his development, birth, growth to manhood, his entry into ministry, and his dying on the cross all were required to acknowledge and respond to cycles and patterns of natural law, earthly Creation, and human affairs.
Christian believers are cautioned to discern and understand that, where Jesus appears to have been gifted with special abilities and powers, that has more to do with the operations of imparted Spirit from GOD than his identity in the Heaven as Son of the Highest. Thus, in the same way we as sinners must undergo permanent change by the Holy Spirit through baptism and receive a fresh endowment of the inseparable aspects of the divine makeup (e.g., faith, holiness, longsuffering, lovingkindness, wisdom, wrath against sin), the Savior also had to age, acquire sacred knowledge (not merely secular knowledge), communicate through prayer, and be both an instrument to bring about, and an anointed/sworn witness to sacred events (we say, miracles). In the same way the Lord’s body became tired and weary, and he needed separation from the crowds for rest and refreshing, he also needed renewal to continue against the many questions, thrusts, and streams of spiritual confusion.
As the Second Adam, Jesus received a greater endowment of the imparted Spirit. There are times in the Scriptures we see only his humanity that includes times when we do not have full knowledge, are uncertain, or seek a different path than the one commanded. Even so, Jesus is father to a new creation, and through the holy writings and his imparted Spirit, the divine offspring are receiving instruction and nourishment to become ripe (mature) for harvest at his appearing (we say, the Advent, the Rapture, the Second Coming). The ongoing transformation to exist as companions to immortal, incorruptible divinity that was begun following the fall of Adam and Eve will be completed “in the twinkling of an eye;” and the believers will become perfected before their Maker. Consider again the following from the Bible:
(1.) John 1: 11-17, King James Version (KJV): 11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not. 12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. 14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. 15 John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me. 16 And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace. 17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
(2.) Galatians 4: 4-7, KJV: 4 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, 5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. 6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. 7 Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
(3.) John 11: 41-45, KJV: 41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. 42 And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me. 43 And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. 44 And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go. 45 Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him.
(4.) John 14: 10-11, KJV: 10 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. 11 Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works’ sake.
There is far more to be said, correctly examined, and spiritually apprehended. (For example, (5.) Romans 8: 5-9, KJV: 5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. 6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. 8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. 9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.) Even so, I trust this fragment will be useful. Be it unto you according to your faith.
THE BLACK PHOENIX
Washington, DC
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