"By his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us." Hebrews 9:12 |
The eternal Son of God, as the second Person in the TRINITY, possessed all power in heaven and earth in an ABSOLUTE sense from the very beginning. This inherent possession of power was owing solely to his DIVINE NATURE and his ESSENTIAL IDENTITY as the ETERNALLY BEGOTTEN SON, or the SON OF GOD by ETERNAL GENERATION, thereby sharing the Godhead equally with the Father and the Holy Spirit. This is necessarily so due to his DEITY, for to think of GOD in a DEFINITIVE sense apart from the TRINITY is more skewered than to think of the ocean apart from water, salt, and sand.
In fact, the Godhead, though subsisting in three DISTINCT PERSONS, is so unified that any conceivable comparison of unity with any other thing will fall far short of the perfection of that ONENESS of the Godhead itself. Thus, with the exception of PERSONAL DISTINCTION and the characteristics thereof, such as order of subsistence, whatever is IMMANENTLY true of one member of the Godhead is true of all three. This peculiar IMMANATION is due solely to the SINGLE, UNDIVIDED, UNCREATED, UNBEGOTTEN DIVINE ESSENCE of GOD, each member of the Godhead INDIVIDUALLY and EXHAUSTIVELY COMPREHENDED by this SINGLE, UNDIVIDED, UNCREATED, UNBEGOTTEN DIVINE ESSENCE, and each member of the Godhead likewise INDIVIDUALLY and EXHAUSTIVELY FILLING this SINGLE, UNDIVIDED, UNCREATED, UNBEGOTTEN DIVINE ESSENCE.
This is why that MONSTROUS HERESY as owned by some - "ONLY BEGOTTEN GOD" - is so offensive and destructive of the glory of Jesus Christ. Not only is it the RANKEST HERESY to assert that the DIVINE ESSENCE can be BEGOTTEN, which this phrase BLATANTLY asserts - (how bold Satan is, and how accommodating the ignorant and blind and apostate are - they are utterly without understanding) - but this is yet again another attempt to rob Jesus Christ of his glory, for ONLY the SON is a MEDIATOR between God and men and therefore ONLY the SON is qualified to DECLARE God to men. Thus, the above phrase, unquestionably instituted by the Gnostics and later adopted by the Arians - who maintained that the DIVINE ESSENCE can be BEGOTTEN, as this phrase asserts - is as VICIOUS a heresy as ever there was, as Calvin himself also noted - "By the name of God is understood the one simple essence, comprehending three persons, or hypostases... We, therefore, hold it DETESTABLE BLASPHEMY to call the Son a DIFFERENT God from the Father, because the simple name "GOD" admits NOT OF RELATION, NOR CAN GOD, CONSIDERED IN HIMSELF, BE SAID TO BE THIS OR THAT." Institutes I.XIII.XX
To assert that the DIVINE ESSENCE can be BEGOTTEN, as this phrase does (and the context only aggravates the blasphemy), is the very FOUNTAINHEAD of PAGANISM and IDOLATRY. Thus, as I said, those who accommodate such wording are without understanding. Nor can they have been taught by the Spirit, for such wording is more of an abomination to the Holy Spirit than it ever was to Calvin or the rest of the saints who have a grasp of sound doctrine. The acceptance of this blasphemy is yet another infallible proof of the wholesale unregeneracy in professing Christianity today, asserted by the same unregenerates who deny that GREATEST GUN in ALL the Word of God - GOD WAS MANIFEST IN THE FLESH. The harm they have done to the cause of truth and sound doctrine is CATASTROPHIC, and therefore this scripture is fulfilled in them - "And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not." 2 Peter 2:3
Eight people out of an entire world population were saved in the days of Noah. EIGHT people out of an entire world. TWO males out of six hundred thousand were able to enter the promised land. TWO out of six hundred thousand. It was Jesus himself who emphasized that ONE widow in all the land of Israel was relieved by God in the days of Elijah, and ONE leper in all the region was likewise cleansed during the days of Elisha. ONE widow, ONE leper in all the land. [2 Peter 2:5; Number 14:1-11; Hebrews 3:16-19; Luke 4:25-27]
Only Lot and his immediate family were saved in the days of Sodom and Gomorrah, and one of them - Lot's wife - had no oil in her lamp - I say, she had NO OIL IN HER LAMP, for after having been BROUGHT FORTH, she would have rejoiced - if she had OIL IN HER LAMP - in the glory of Jesus Christ, just as Abraham rejoiced in the glory of Jesus Christ (though Jesus was not yet fifty years old), for when there is OIL IN THE LAMP and the LAMP TRIMMED (and ONLY then) is the path ahead lightened so that the glory of Jesus Christ is revealed, and once a person fixes on the glory of Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit, there is no power in heaven or earth or hell that can unfix it - and thus, Lot's wife also perished, for had her gaze been fixed on the glory of Jesus Christ it would have been as impossible for her to look back as it was impossible for Noah to open the door of the Ark after the LORD HAD SHUT HIM IN. Thus, THREE citizens - Lot and his two daughters - out of the entire populace of that vast metropolis escaped the judgment of damnation. [John 8:56-68; Hebrews 6:4-8; Genesis 7:16, 19:24-30; Matthew 25:1-13]
Yea, further, TWO people in all the land of Israel - neither of the two religious leaders - were awakened so as to be able to greet the Messiah in the Temple on his eighth day. TWO people, neither of whom were in positions of religious leadership. [Luke 2:21-38]
In sum, EIGHT people out of an entire world; TWO males out of six hundred thousand; ONE widow and ONE leper in all the land of Israel; THREE citizens; TWO worshippers - these, and these ONLY, were accounted worthy of salvation.
He who believes that these numbers have no correspondence to the kingdom of heaven is thoroughly deluding himself. In fact, these percentages are not only SPECIFICALLY given by the Holy Ghost as a PERFECT representation of how Jesus Christ has made up his jewels and reserved them for glory - and Jesus Christ couldn't have been plainer about how FEW will be saved - but these percentages are in fact HIGH compared to this generation, which Jesus forewarned of. [Luke 18:8]
Accordingly, I ask - were you ever quickened from a dead state by the power of the Spirit of Christ? Do you remember that?
Jesus, at his Transfiguration - when his raiment was changed along with his body - was transfigured by FAITH. And herein, beware especially of popular notions concerning various and sundry biblical events which have been construed by unregenerate, human wisdom, for their much touted effects and operations never resemble the actual events themselves (which is always God's way), such notions springing instead from filthy dreamers who have applied unregenerate and unrevealed wisdom to spiritual matters, following the way of Uzzah, instruments by whom God is sending strong delusion upon the world, the first fruits of this strong delusion apace in the world even now, for only unregenerate wisdom is foolish enough to think that it can penetrate a delusion sent from God, which it can't, unregenerate wisdom which therefore construes events in a manner and way which never resemble the actual events themselves, so that none but the elect - who are always FEW in number - ever know or are aware of particular events, much in the same way that those who were not given eyes to see with in Israel still expected the arrival of the Messiah after the Messiah had already come and gone, although the coming delusion will be intensely more blinding, as the Word of God testifies, for God himself has undertaken this delusion as an added judgment because of the great apostasy, an apostasy which is even now prevalent in professing Christianity, and in fact, almost full-blown, for a form of godliness without the power thereof is one of the first fruits of iniquity.
So then, in an example of true godliness with power, Jesus, at his Transfiguration - when his raiment was changed along with his body - was transfigured by FAITH. Enoch was likewise translated by FAITH, as was Elijah, for all things that the Lord God does in and through his saints efficaciously he does by FAITH, and it is only the FAITH of the ELECT that can know that narrow way wherein to walk when the Shepherd utters his voice, for only the Good Shepherd's sheep - and no one else - hears his voice, and can thus be joined to him in that holy and heavenly mount. [2 Thessalonians 2:11; Jude 8; Matthew 17:2, 24:24; 2 Samuel 6:6-7; Hebrews 11:5; 2 Kings 2:10-11]
Do you therefore have FAITH?
Biblical faith produces biblical experience. He whose faith has not produced biblical experience has not biblical faith. That is, he has not SAVING faith. That faith which flows from REGENERATION is the ONLY faith that will succeed in the day of Jesus Christ. The same faith that will be required to translate the body must be preceded by that faith which has ALREADY translated the spirit by REGENERATION, and he who has not EXPERIENCED REGENERATION, whereby Jesus Christ has put forth his CREATIVE POWER by CREATING a NEW MAN, will in no wise experience the translation of the body. Have you ALREADY been translated from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of Jesus Christ? Have you EXPERIENCED this translation in REGENERATION? Have you been brought from the dead by the Holy Spirit in a moment of time, in the twinkling of an eye, just as Lazarus was brought forth from the grave bodily? Jesus Christ ALONE can work this work, wherefore it is written - "For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature." Galatians 6:15
It is one of the great ironies of every generation that those who are truly born again, those who have been made new creatures by the almighty, creative power of the Lord Jesus Christ, are constantly striving to make their calling and election sure, just as the Word of God commands (2 Peter 1:10), while those who are not born again, but who think they are, scarcely ever make any genuine effort at all to lay hold on eternal life by right and proper means, by humbling themselves before Jesus Christ and crying out to him until he hears from heaven and stretches forth his hand in his mighty, creative power, thereby translating them INSTANTLY from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light. A half-hearted effort won't do. Neither will a whole-hearted effort. In fact, it takes a SUPERNATURAL effort to be truly born again, and only JESUS CHRIST can effect that. Yea, the born again believer is satisfied with NOTHING LESS than the PERSONAL ASSURANCE of JESUS CHRIST HIMSELF.
As George Whitefield lamented even in his day - "The doctrine of our REGENERATION, or NEW BIRTH in Christ Jesus, though one of the most fundamental doctrines of our holy religion; though so plainly and often pressed on us in sacred writ, that he who runs may read; nay though it is the VERY HINGE ON WHICH THE SALVATION OF EACH OF US TURNS, and a point too in which all sincere Christians, of every denomination, agree; yet it is so seldom considered, AND SO LITTLE EXPERIMENTALLY UNDERSTOOD by the generality of professors, that were we to judge of the truth of it, BY THE EXPERIENCE OF MOST WHO CALL THEMSELVES CHRISTIANS, we should be apt to imagine THEY HAD NOT SO MUCH AS HEARD WHETHER THERE BE ANY SUCH THING AS REGENERATION OR NOT." On Regeneration [Acts 19:2]
That statement was made in one of the most sanctified ages of Christianity, and in one of the most sanctified lands ever, yea, even in a green tree, an age that puts this age to complete and utter shame with respect to piety. Consonant with that truth, therefore, it may now be noted that the situation is INFINITELY WORSE today, as any truly regenerate Christian knows - the apostasy of professing Christianity never worse in any age of the world than it is now - yea, as both the Word of God and the Holy Ghost testify to in EVERY person he indwells, the Holy Ghost even now operating in his elect according to that inviolable promise. [Matthew 24:24]
Such warnings are snickered at by the masses today, and the religious majority gnashes its teeth at such admonitions, primarily because they are responsible for so much heresy and false teaching themselves, and for providing false security to so many professing Christians (because being unregenerate themselves, they prevent others from entering in), and thus, the vast number of ministers and teachers in this day who provide false security to so many professing Christians commit a graver sin than all the others combined, a sin which they will sorely regret to all eternity, for they will share the weight of the sins of all they have misled, which is undoubtedly the main reason Dives wanted to send word to his brothers, for partnership in sin, aye, for adding to the sins and damnation of others, without the blood of a MEDIATOR to atone for such, will result in those very same sins being added back again upon their own heads, and will be as damning, if not more so, than individual sins, for those many legions of people they falsely secured, who might have otherwise escaped the damnation of hellfire, were misled DIRECTLY and reassured FALSELY by the carnal sophisms of their own unregenerate ministers and teachers (most of whom never take hell seriously until they arrive there themselves, and who don't believe the SIMPLE teaching of the Word of God as to how FEW are truly saved), and thus the FEW who actually have been BORN AGAIN - TRULY BORN AGAIN, and they are FEW (exactly as the Word of God teaches) - are habitually dismissed or scorned or persecuted, their testimonies made light of or ignored by the overwhelming majority of those who profess to be Christians, yet are not born again themselves (even though many of them think they are, yet without any valid or genuine reason for thinking so), and such has been the case in every age, as John Owen observed even in that golden era of 17th century England when the Spirit of God moved almost as mightily as at Pentecost - "As among all the doctrines of the gospel, there is none opposed with more violence and subtlety than that concerning our REGENERATION BY THE IMMEDIATE, POWERFUL, EFFECTUAL OPERATION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GRACE; so there is not SCARCE ANYTHING MORE DESPISED OR SCORNED by many in the world THAN THAT ANY SHOULD PROFESS THAT THERE HATH BEEN SUCH A WORK OF GOD UPON THEMSELVES, or on any occasion DECLARE AUGHT OF THE WAY AND MANNER WHEREBY IT WAS WROUGHT." A Discourse Concerning The Holy Spirit
Nevertheless, those who scorn and wink and snicker and persecute the truly regenerate today, and who make light of the testimony of those who are truly regenerate, will find that hell will rise to meet them, and they will rue the day they ever heard of the NEW BIRTH, for had they heeded such testimonies with due gravity, and had they searched the Word of God and inquired into the history of the true church throughout the ages, thus discovering that these things are really so, they could have spared themselves the eternal damnation that they will otherwise certainly never escape. Indeed, few of the sons of men will allow themselves to be made spiritually uncomfortable, but they will never come to heaven without it.
Accordingly, Reader, the Word of God warns you: you will NOT set foot in the kingdom of heaven unless you are born again. You MUST be born again, you MUST be regenerated, whereby you have a GENUINE encounter with Jesus Christ, whereby Jesus Christ HIMSELF makes you a NEW CREATURE. Anything less than a GENUINE encounter with Jesus Christ is COUNTERFEIT faith, no matter how strong your MENTAL AFFIRMATION is (which in itself is nothing but will worship), and which is father to those two free-will idols - "the four spiritual laws" and "decisions for Christ," both of which - along with like means that engender mere will worship - have deceived more people into believing they are saved than all other deceptions combined; yea, anything less than a GENUINE encounter with Jesus Christ is NOT biblical faith; anything less than a GENUINE encounter with Jesus Christ is FLESH. In short, if your salvation experience is not composed of a bona fide MIRACLE - a MIRACLE that you can honestly testify to, produced by the SPIRIT OF CHRIST - then your salvation experience is counterfeit. As Charles Spurgeon noted - "Do you see a connection between your believing and the Holy Ghost? Did you receive Him when you believed?... If, when you believed, there was not the IMPARTATION OF LIFE BY THE HOLY SPIRIT, your believing was a dead believing, THE MERE COUNTERFEIT OF LIVING FAITH... There must, then, be a work from heaven, a work of the Holy Ghost upon the heart, or else you have not believed unto life, and you remain in death." What The Holy Spirit Does In A Believer's Life
You may believe every single orthodox doctrine correctly; you may apprehend every biblical truth accurately, but these things any rational individual can do. I say, ALL OF THESE THINGS the NATURAL MAN can do, yet the Word of God passes COMPLETE and UTTER CONDEMNATION upon the NATURAL MAN. I warn you again - ALL OF THESE THINGS the NATURAL MAN can do, and can do them so convincingly that only the TRULY REGENERATE can tell the difference. Take heed: you may believe all the right principles, and even have strong feelings about cardinal doctrines, yet, like a perfect machine which has perfect wiring, but lacks electricity, so is the professing Christian who has never EXPERIENCED the RESURRECTION POWER of Jesus Christ in the NEW BIRTH, for whosoever - WHOSOEVER - has not EXPERIENCED the RESURRECTION POWER of Jesus Christ in the NEW BIRTH, has absolutely NO claim to the kingdom of heaven. None whatsoever.
Thus, if you will go to heaven, you must be born of the SPIRIT, the HOLY SPIRIT, the THIRD MEMBER OF THE GODHEAD, who ALONE produces GENUINE faith - I say, the HOLY SPIRIT, and none BUT the HOLY SPIRIT, produces GENUINE FAITH - the same HOLY SPIRIT who proceeds FROM JESUS CHRIST, and who comes IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST, and JESUS CHRIST ONLY, for the HOLY SPIRIT testifies of JESUS CHRIST, not of himself. Thus, if you are not born again - and if you want to go to heaven - drop whatever you are doing until you are born again, knowing that JESUS CHRIST HIMSELF is the ONLY proper OBJECT of faith, and that JESUS CHRIST HIMSELF must apprehend you, and you him, if you are going to be saved - "For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will." John 5:21
I tell you - a FEW of you - yea, and the Holy Spirit HIMSELF also testifies - that Jesus Christ is likely to work a work that you will not believe, even though it be told you. And yet, before moving on, I warn you further - even you FEW - do not despise or lightly entertain convictions today, for genuine convictions come from the Spirit of Grace, even the HOLY SPIRIT, and if you despise his convictions today, he may never visit you again. NOW is the accepted time, behold, NOW is the day of salvation - and if not NOW, perhaps never. Such are God's ways, for God owes salvation to no man; God is not obligated to save a single soul. Those he saves - and they are FEW - are saved at his mere pleasure, by his sheer grace, for HIS COUNSEL SHALL STAND, and HE WILL DO ALL HIS PLEASURE, for he is GOD - ALMIGHTY GOD - whether the idolatrous and unregenerate free-willers, or anybody else, likes it or not. Do not therefore despise his convictions today, for he may not send genuine convictions tomorrow, or ever again, and it is his mere pleasure alone that determines whether or not he will do so. Accordingly, I beseech you, FLY from the wrath to come TODAY, so that you may say infallibly with that mighty Apostle, that you, along with all the saints, "wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come." 1 Thessalonians 1:10 [Isaiah 46:10; Ephesians 1:11; John 1:13; Habakkuk 1:5; 2 Corinthians 6:2; John 6:44; John 6:37; Hebrews 12:25]
In resumption, this being that very age wherein God is in the process of preparing and sending that strong delusion on the world, especially among professing Christianity, it is not in the least surprising that such rank heresy as "ONLY BEGOTTEN GOD" is so widely accepted today, notwithstanding the sophists' attempts to make the text not mean what it actually SAYS. At long last, it has finally gotten to the point in professing Christianity wherein the sophists are forced to wrest the heretical wording of their own bibles to try to make them sound orthodox, for the only way around the blatant and blasphemous "ONLY BEGOTTEN GOD" is to have it explained to you that it doesn't really mean what it actually SAYS. And it necessarily follows, of course, that the same can then be done with any other scripture. Accordingly, this practice is a DIRECT cause why so few are born again today. Not the only cause, but a DIRECT cause nevertheless, though only God can give an accurate measure of the immediate and collateral damage, which is unquestionably massive, albeit, of one measure I am also certain - the millstones that these perpetrators have reserved for their own necks are much larger than they will ever be able to bear.
Therefore be it known, as the true Word of God declares, it is not the DIVINE ESSENCE that is BEGOTTEN, rather, it is the SON who is BEGOTTEN, his personality ETERNALLY DERIVED from his Father, and HIMSELF subsisting ETERNALLY with the SAME UNBEGOTTEN ESSENCE of the Father. Likewise, it is the HOLY SPIRIT who is PROCEEDING, and PROCEEDING ETERNALLY from both the Father and the Son, and HIMSELF subsisting ETERNALLY with the SAME UNBEGOTTEN ESSENCE of the Father and the Son. In short, GOD is ONE UNBEGOTTEN ESSENCE, and any other notion is damnable idolatry. Let the walking dead who promote and defend this blasphemy reconcile BEGOTTEN GOD with UNBEGOTTEN DIVINE ESSENCE if they can.
This entire matter is one of the great revelations of the New Testament, for while the TRINITY is clearly propounded throughout the Old Testament - so clearly propounded that it takes real effort to miss it - nevertheless, it positively EXPLODES into view and SHOUTS ALOUD in the New, so that even the feeble-minded can easily discern its basic form. Moreover, this REVELATION was brought into clear view SPECIFICALLY and SINGULARLY through the INCARNATION of the SON OF GOD. Remove the INCARNATION of Jesus Christ from the equation, and the form of the TRINITY collapses, for even in the Old Testament the Trinity was manifested ONLY in relation to, and in respect of, that promised SEED OF THE WOMAN, which found its glorious fulfillment in the INCARNATION of Jesus Christ.
Consequently, from the very beginning, the overriding objective of God - that is, the overriding objective of the Father and the overriding objective of the Son and the overriding objective of the Holy Spirit - has been to REVEAL JESUS CHRIST TO CREATION - mark it - the OVERRIDING OBJECTIVE of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit from the VERY BEGINNING has been to REVEAL JESUS CHRIST TO CREATION, thereby MANIFESTING THE BRIGHTNESS OF GOD'S OWN GLORY and THE EXPRESS IMAGE OF GOD'S OWN PERSON. This has been the overriding objective of God from the beginning.
Take heed and see that you consider this truth with due gravity. To wit: THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST HAS BEEN THE OVERRIDING OBJECTIVE OF THE FATHER, SON, AND HOLY SPIRIT FROM THE BEGINNING. Therefore - FOR THAT REASON - Christ was CONSTITUTED as the VERY FIRST DECLARATIVE ACT of the Godhead, whereby his DIVINE NATURE was APPOINTED the SUSCEPTION of the HUMAN NATURE, thereby establishing the ETERNAL SON OF GOD, even the Lord Jesus Christ, as "the beginning of the creation of God." Revelation 3:14
Accordingly, ALL genuine spiritual revelation begins here. There are no exceptions. As stated in the previous discourse, and as testified unto by such divines as John Owen, John Bunyan, John Flavel, Jonathan Edwards, John Calvin, George Whitefield, Richard Baxter, Richard Sibbes, Thomas Goodwin, John Gill, and so many others, ALL spiritual truth has a consistency ONLY in relation to GOD MANIFEST IN THE FLESH. That renowned theologian, Charles Hodge, stated it this way - "Christ is both God and man, in two distinct natures, and one person forever. This is the great mystery of Godliness. GOD MANIFEST IN THE FLESH is the distinguishing doctrine of the religion of the Bible, without which it is a cold and lifeless corpse." Systematic Theology, Vol II, Part III, Chapter III
Again - precept upon precept, line upon line - ALL spiritual truth has a consistency ONLY in relation to the PERSON OF JESUS CHRIST, yet ONLY as regards the conjoining of both his DIVINE NATURE and his HUMAN NATURE in ONE CHRIST - that is, GOD MANIFEST IN THE FLESH - demonstrated in his INCARNATION, that demonstration thereafter extending even unto his EXALTATION and GLORIFICATION in his HUMAN NATURE in heaven.
And this is what we are to very briefly consider now - his EXALTATION and GLORIFICATION in his HUMAN NATURE in heaven - but briefly indeed, for I will cover the substance of it under the heading of his BLOOD, but for now, consider briefly how - He Entered In With POWER!
The EXALTATION and GLORIFICATION of Jesus Christ in his HUMAN NATURE in heaven is a great window into God's purpose in Christ, for herein is that great MYSTERY OF REDEMPTION projected and shed abroad for all creation to see - angels in particular (and those who scoff at the mention of angels do yet again prove themselves unregenerate, for angels inhabit the spiritual world in vast numbers, the same spiritual world which the regenerate believer is translated into and made INSTANTLY aware of from the MOMENT he's born again, and soon thereafter learns by the Spirit and the Word of God that he has in fact not only come under the guardianship of angels, but their tutelage as well, for the angels are MINISTERING spirits indeed) - thus, the Lord Jesus Christ's EXALTATION and GLORIFICATION in his HUMAN NATURE in heaven has incredibly magnified that great MYSTERY OF REDEMPTION, the angels in particular having a clear view, for the angels were God's PRIMARY FOCUS in the MANIFESTATION of his WISDOM herein [Ephesians 3:10], and thus the angels are thereby ravished by this very MYSTERY, for the substance of this MYSTERY is glorious indeed, so glorious that all the angels in heaven and all the devils in hell could have never conceived it, namely -
The Lord Jesus Christ - under the weakness of his HUMAN NATURE, aye, even "in the likeness of sinful flesh" - has nevertheless so CONQUERED and so OVERCOME that the HUMAN NATURE is exalted above the highest heaven, above angels, above all principalities and powers, above all other creatures of any kind - O! What glory unspeakable! - the HUMAN NATURE verily EXALTED, but EXALTED in no less a Personage than JESUS CHRIST HIMSELF, THE ETERNAL SON OF GOD, and therewith the glory of God proclaimed with such righteousness and majesty and holiness that every mouth will be utterly stopped on that day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ.
O what glory is this indeed!
Taking upon himself the nature of man, assuming the weakness - not of uncorrupted flesh - but the LIKENESS of SINFUL flesh - not that his own flesh was sinful, but that the depravation of human nature due to the fall subjected all flesh to the universal effects and weaknesses of sin, yea, being sent in the LIKENESS of sinful flesh, being made lower than the angels, all of whom he himself created, taking upon himself the form of a servant, though himself in the form of God as that CHRIST which was CONSTITUTED in eternity past, himself being the ETERNAL SON OF GOD and the ESSENTIAL IDENTITY OF CHRIST - yet agreeing to take upon himself the inherent weakness of humanity and make himself of no reputation, and at the same time to so manage himself during this INCARNATION, that is, during the depravations and weaknesses of human flesh, subjecting himself to a corporeal state even below that of angels - many of whom would put forth massive efforts and supernatural powers in an attempt to destroy him - yet to so manage himself during this sojourn that the MANIFEST GLORY of God, which had been APPARENTLY impeached in the fall of Lucifer and Adam, would not only be restored, but ELEVATED to an INFINITELY HIGHER degree in the eyes of all creation, yea, INFINITELY HIGHER than was EVER seen before the fall - far above ANYTHING that Satan or his devils or the elect angles could have ever POSSIBLY imagined - and in addition, according to his eternal promise, through his INCARNATION, elevate man to a likewise INFINITELY HIGHER STATE than Adam or any of his posterity EVER could have achieved, even had they remained sinless, yea, an INFINITELY HIGHER STATE, while simultaneously, this CHRIST, even the Lord Jesus Christ, would vanquish every foe, condemn sin in the flesh, destroy both the power of death and him who owned it, reconcile men to God by slaying the enmity that man had brought between them, and finally deliver up a PERFECT kingdom to his Father - and all managed by him under the assumption of his HUMAN NATURE, yet not of course invalidating or diminishing his DIVINE NATURE, for his DIVINE NATURE is what gives INFINITE MERIT to the whole.
This - and much more than words could ever describe - is that which Jesus Christ accomplished through his INCARNATION. However, there is an additional notable achievement of the Lord, one that impacts this heading in particular, and one that I will much more fully develop under the remaining headings, which gloriously consists in this -
By becoming corporeally weaker than the angels - in fact, by taking upon himself the VERY WEAKEST MEDIUM of God's rational creation, namely, the LIKENESS of SINFUL flesh, the Lord Jesus placed himself at the greatest disadvantage possible. He could go no lower in God's rational creation than the likeness of sinful flesh. Not only was this nature - the human nature - much inferior in POWER to that of the angels, but the human nature had likewise been thoroughly depraved through the fall of Adam, and the image of God, which originally existed in perfect form in man, had consequently become so degraded that it engendered universal shame, even extending to the creation itself, for man was now a servant of sin, thereby involving the very image of God HIMSELF in bondage to the world, the flesh, and the devil. Yea, hereby was God HIMSELF defamed, and his glory APPARENTLY impeached, his image in man smeared, and that cunningly through the subtlety of Satan.
It is THIS glory - the glory of God - and THIS image - the image of God - that Jesus Christ came to reclaim. Just as Abraham tracked down and slaughtered those kings who abducted his own heritage, so has the Lord Jesus Christ done to Satan and his wicked kingdom, for it is through death that he destroyed him that had the power of death, and thus, by overcoming from a position of voluntary weakness, by conquering from a position of adopted disadvantage, the Lord Jesus Christ, being found in fashion as a man, was nevertheless able to do what no other man ever could, namely, the Lord Jesus Christ, from the most disadvantageous position conceivable, yet SPOILED PRINCIPALITIES AND POWERS by living a sinless life, yea, he MADE A SHOW OF THEM OPENLY by becoming obedient unto death, even the death of the cross, and he TRIUMPHED OVER THEM by his resurrection from the dead according to the spirit of holiness, and was thus declared - OPENLY DECLARED, in view of heaven and earth and hell - to be the SON OF GOD WITH POWER, thereby not only recovering the glory of God and the image of God in the HUMAN NATURE, but exalting them both to INFINITELY GREATER HEIGHTS than ever could have been imagined, and therein not only repairing the damage and the carnage, but actually turning all the evil into good, thereby resulting in inexhaustible GLORY, yea, GLORY TO GOD IN THE HIGHEST, which is what we will consider in detail in the coming discourses. For now, you may see truly that -
He Entered In With POWER!
(Finis - Part II)