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"And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: GOD WAS MANIFEST IN THE FLESH..." 1 Timothy 3:16 |
As has been noted by theologians for nigh two thousand years now, this verse is the GREATEST GUN in all the Word of God, as this verse is the VERY STRONGEST assertion of the DEITY OF JESUS CHRIST in all the literature of the world. Moreover, GOD MANIFEST IN THE FLESH is the SOURCE of ALL GENUINE REVELATION, as John Owen, perhaps the greatest theologian in the history of Christianity outside of the apostolic age, judiciously observed --
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"Those who reject the DIVINE PERSON OF CHRIST - who believe it not, who discern not the wisdom, grace, love, and power of God therein - DO CONSTANTLY REJECT OR CORRUPT ALL OTHER SPIRITUAL TRUTHS OF DIVINE REVELATION. Nor can it otherwise be. FOR THEY HAVE A CONSISTENCY ONLY IN THEIR RELATION UNTO THE MYSTERY OF GODLINESS -- GOD MANIFEST IN THE FLESH -- AND FROM THENCE DERIVE THEIR SENSE AND MEANING. THIS BEING REMOVED, THE TRUTH, IN ALL OTHER ARTICLES OF RELIGION, IMMEDIATELY FALLS TO THE GROUND." John Owen -- Christologia |
All the great theologians and Christians down through the centuries have echoed the very same thing. In fact, it is no stretch whatsoever to affirm that Charles Hodge summed up the very oracles of the Godhead itself when he declared --
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"GOD MANIFEST IN THE FLESH IS THE DISTINGUISHING DOCTRINE OF THE RELIGION OF THE BIBLE, WITHOUT WHICH IT IS A COLD AND LIFELESS CORPSE." Charles Hodge -- Systematic Theology, Vol II, Part III, Chapter III |
Accordingly, those who support "bibles" which remove the word GOD in this verse are utterly ignorant of matters of the Spirit, and utterly lacking in even the SLIGHTEST understanding with regard to DIVINE REVELATION. You may therefore take it as axiomatic that such men have never been taught by the Spirit, their ponderous pontifications notwithstanding.
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Note: For an excursus on the textual issue in this verse, see FALSE CITATIONS And: for a more in-depth excursus on the very beginnings of the manifestation of the Godhead itself, and an explanation of how this verse takes us back to the very eternal counsels of the Godhead, see THE BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST - PART I, Heading II |
As we saw in the previous treatise in this series -- THE ONLY BEGOTTEN SON -- the term GOD by itself is meaningless. The term GOD, if left undefined, would merely be a representation -- an IMAGE -- of the mind. Worse still, that representation or image would be different in each individual. In other words, one man's concept of GOD would be different than another man's because each man would simply imagine in his own mind his perception of what GOD should or could or ought to be, which is one reason there are so many cults and religions throughout the world, for there is no standard among the unregenerate for who or what GOD really is. Thus, GOD must be defined.
Jesus Christ is the definition of GOD. No more, no less. It's that simple. Jesus Christ FULLY spans and comprehends the definition of GOD. As Jesus himself stated --
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"He that hath seen me hath seen the Father." John 14:9 |
And the Holy Spirit by the mouth of the Apostle Paul further revealed concerning Jesus Christ, that he is "the image of the invisible God." Colossians 1:15
Thus, he who seeks a definition of GOD apart from Jesus Christ seeks in vain, and he who imagines that Jesus Christ does not FULLY EXPLAIN and COMPLETELY COMPREHEND GOD is he who dreams vainly after the flesh in the darkness of his carnal and sinful mind.
In short, God has demonstrated HIMSELF to the world in the person of Jesus Christ, who was and is GOD MANIFEST IN THE FLESH. In other words, GOD has defined HIMSELF, and he did so in a way and in a manner wherein both his attributes and his character could be exposed in all their effulgence. Accordingly, he who examines Jesus Christ and yet walks away without knowing that Jesus Christ is GOD MANIFEST IN THE FLESH, is he who is not only deaf and dumb and blind, but hates his own soul, for the wisdom and love and grace and power of Almighty God radiate through and from Jesus Christ so unequivocally that all who fail to discern it will be left utterly without excuse in the day of Jesus Christ, that is, in the day of judgment.
And herein note -- Christianity is overflowing with professors who will readily assert that Jesus Christ is God, but it is mere lip-service. Oh, they may THINK that they have an orthodox view of the deity of Jesus Christ, but they dwell in la-la land, for in their heart of hearts they have never come to understand and really believe that Jesus Christ is ALMIGHTY GOD, that Jesus Christ is in very truth JEHOVAH, even the JEHOVAH of the Old Testament.
On the contrary, deep down they think of Jesus Christ as a lieutenant God, much in the same way that Arius thought of him, though most of today's professing Christians don't even have a clue as to what they really believe because they are so superficial that they've never soberly addressed and considered the deity of Jesus Christ as being REVELATIONAL. Instead, their declaration of the deity of Jesus Christ is the product of a mere CATECHISM, learned by rote, taught them by their pastor or some other human instrument, and thus their carnal assertion that Jesus Christ is God is for them mere IDOLATRY, for their delimitations of the term GOD were arrived at by NATURAL means instead of by SUPERNATURAL means, and thus their barometer of the term GOD is infinitely inferior to the Messianic and Scriptural application of that word.
In fact, every man who TRULY knows Jesus Christ as GOD -- every man who knows this in SPIRIT and in TRUTH -- can testify to the SAME EXPERIENCE that Peter underwent when he exclaimed -- "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God." To which Jesus replied --
| "And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: FOR FLESH AND BLOOD HATH NOT REVEALED IT UNTO THEE, BUT MY FATHER WHICH IS IN HEAVEN." Matthew 16:16-17 |
He who cannot testify to the SAME SUPERNATURAL EXPERIENCE is he who has never known Jesus Christ as GOD, protest as he may, and is he who has never experienced regeneration through the MIRACLE of the new birth. There are no exceptions, for while it is possible to hold an affirmation of the deity of Jesus Christ by natural means, such as reason, logic, and the like, it is NOT possible to ACCURATELY comprehend the deity of Jesus Christ apart from SUPERNATURAL REVELATION. Accordingly, he who cannot honestly and legitimately testify to Peter's experience is he who has never been born again. As Jonathan Edwards, another of the mightiest theologians in the history of Christianity, effervescently declared --
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"HE THAT HAS HAD A CLEAR SIGHT OF THE SPIRITUAL GLORY OF CHRIST MAY SAY, 'I have not followed cunningly devised fables, but have been an eyewitness of his majesty,' UPON AS GOOD GROUNDS AS THE APOSTLE PETER, when he had respect to the outward glory of Christ that he had seen. " Jonathan Edwards -- A Divine And Supernatural Light, Immediately Imparted To The Soul By The Spirit Of God, Shown To Be Both A Scriptural And Rational Doctrine |
And thus, it can readily be seen by all who are indwelt by the Spirit of Christ -- there are no exceptions -- that those who have accepted the removal of the word GOD in their "bibles" in 1 Timothy 3:16 cannot ever have been taught by the Spirit of God, by the Spirit of Christ, even the Holy Spirit, for, as has been shown, GOD MANIFEST IN THE FLESH is the SOURCE of ALL REVELATION, consonant with that very revelation that Peter received some two thousand years ago, and which EVERY ONE who is born of the Spirit has continued to receive since that time. No regenerate translator or textual critic would have EVER surrendered that verse. None, no not one. There are NO exceptions.
Herein lies the difference between genuine Christianity and false Christianity. He who professes to be a Christian, and yet cannot testify to an unmistakable SUPERNATURAL EXPERIENCE in which Jesus Christ PERSONALLY INTRODUCED HIMSELF as GOD MANIFEST IN THE FLESH, such as Peter could testify to, and such as ALL who are truly regenerate can testify to, is a false professor, is a professor who has a name to live but is dead.
Nor will you EVER be made ALIVE unless you bow to Jesus Christ as GOD MANIFEST IN THE FLESH. As Oswald Chambers stated --
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"To use the New Testament as a book of proof is nonsense. If you do not believe THAT JESUS CHRIST IS THE SON OF GOD, the New Testament will not convince you that He is; if you do not believe in the Resurrection, the New Testament will not convince you of it. The New Testament is written for those who do not need convincing. After the Resurrection our Lord appeared to those only who knew Him in the days of His flesh." Oswald Chambers -- The Untenanted Universe Of Easter |
Furthermore, there is a VAST difference between ILLUMINATION and REGENERATION. In the former, one can see the value and worthiness of Jesus Christ, and yet never come to the NEW BIRTH. As George Whitefield, perhaps the greatest preacher in the entire history of Christianity outside of the apostolic age, wrote in a letter to one of his friends --
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"You have mistaken, in my opinion, PREPARATION for CONVERSION itself. Your nine years round of duties, were no effects of the NEW BIRTH at all... and ILLUMINATION and CONVERSION are TWO DIFFERENT THINGS." George Whitefield -- Letters, CXCI |
Moreover, being ENLIGHTENED without coming to BIRTH is the most dangerous stage a person can ever enter, for many become ENLIGHTENED who are never brought to BIRTH, as it is written --
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"For it is impossible for those who were once ENLIGHTENED, and have TASTED THE HEAVENLY GIFT, and were MADE PARTAKERS OF THE HOLY GHOST, And have TASTED THE GOOD WORD OF GOD, and the POWERS OF THE WORLD TO COME, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame." Hebrews 6:4-6 |
Ah! How long halt ye between two opinions? You cannot save yourself, but you are responsible for your own damnation. Have you cried out to Jesus Christ until he hears you and answers you from heaven? Until he PERSONALLY answers you from heaven? Not metaphorically, but PERSONALLY?
He who is glory-bound testifies that GOD WAS MANIFEST IN THE FLESH in the PERSON of Jesus Christ, and he can testify with Peter that FLESH AND BLOOD HATH NOT REVEALED IT UNTO THEE, BUT MY FATHER WHICH IS IN HEAVEN, and he can do so with SUPERNATURAL AFFIRMATION, just as Peter could, and upon as good grounds as Peter could.
Where do you stand?