When God Became A Man - Mystery of all Mysteries!
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When God Became A Man - Mystery of all Mysteries!
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From the tract published by the late Pastor A.T. Surratt in the 1950's
One day a little baby was born in a very rude and obscure place, in a
small and humble city. His expected arrival was not announced to the
world. His mother was not widely known.
Finding no room in the crowded inn the lowly couple retreated to a
stable. And, there in the dark hours of the night, while the city was
sleeping, the little stranger arrived.
No one suspected anything out of the ordinary. But, the birth of
that little baby set all the bells of heaven ringing. A bright, new star
appeared in the heavens. An angel hastened to a group of shepherds to
announce the glad tidings of great joy, while the illuminating light of
heaven encircled the astonished shepherds, dispelling the darkness of
the night. Suddenly the lone angel was joined by a whole multitude of
the heavenly host chanting the joyful refrain: "Glory to God in the
highest, and on earth, peace, good will toward men."
When the angels had gone, the shepherds sped to Bethlehem to see the
new-born Babe. From the East came wise men with costly gifts to present
to Him. Soon, all Jerusalem was stirred. Even the king was troubled.
The birth of the humble child had moved heaven and earth!
Who could He be? Why all this commotion about His birth?
It was a mystery, a GREAT mystery. But that new-born babe was none
other than the Mighty God, the Lord, the Creator of heaven and earth,
who was born of a virgin, and came into the world in the likeness of a
man to dwell among us. "They shall call His name Emmanuel, which being
interpreted is, 'GOD WITH US.’" Matt 1:23.
The angel announced unmistakably who He was. Said the angel: "Unto
you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the
LORD." Luke 2:11.
Many times in the Old Testament God is spoken of as the LORD God,
the LORD Jehovah, the LORD thy God, etc. And, now the angel announces
that the Babe of Bethlehem is Christ the "LORD".
Since both the Old Testament AND the New Testament emphatically
declare that there is only ONE LORD, then it is very evident that the
LORD Jesus of the New Testament
and the LORD God of the Old Testament is the SAME LORD.
The following scriptures taken from the Old AND New Testaments will
prove conclusively that the Lord God of the Old Testament "IS" the Lord
Jesus Christ of the New Testament ... NOT TWO SEPARATE LORDS:
The Lord God created heaven and earth.- Isa. 42:5.
Jesus created heaven and earth.- John 1:10; Col. 1:16.
The Lord God is the only Saviour.- Isa. 43:10 & 11.
Jesus is the Saviour.- Tit. 1:4.
The Lord God is the First and the Last.- Isa. 44:6.
Jesus is the First and the Last.- Rev. 1:8.
The Lord God said: "I am He".- Isa. 43:10.
Jesus said: "I am He."- John 8:24.
The Lord God will reign forever.- Psa. 146:10.
Jesus will reign forever.- Luke 1:33.
The Lord God is King of Israel.- Isa. 43:15.
Jesus is King of Israel.- Matt. 27:37.
The Lord God is Lord alone.- Neh. 9:6.
Jesus is Lord.- Acts 9:5.
The Lord God is the Almighty.- Gen. 17:1.
Jesus is the Almighty.- Rev. 1:8.
The following Scriptures will further prove beyond the shadow of any doubt that the Babe of Bethlehem was the Lord God Almighty:
The Child -a Son- shall be called the "Mighty God" and "Everlasting
Father" Isa 9:6. He who was born in Bethlehem was from everlasting.
Micah 5:2. Jesus lived BEFORE Abraham. John 8:56 & 58. Thomas
acknowledged Jesus to be God. John 20:28.
Now that it has been fully established by scripture that Jesus "IS"
God, the next step is to examine the "Son-ship" aspect of God.
WHEN DID THE SON-SHIP BEGIN?
Was Jesus a son in eternity with God before His birth in Bethlehem?
If so, when did He become a Son? Was He as old as the Father? Who was
his mother then? What became of His body when He was born in Bethlehem?
Was He born twice ... once in eternity and AGAIN in Bethlehem? Did He
have two fathers and two mothers?
No, no! That is not the right understanding of God and the Son. In
eternity, God was an invisible spirit without flesh and bones, who ALONE
created the heavens and the earth, Isa. 37:16; Isa. 44:24; Job 9:8. He
declared, Himself, that there was no one else with Him, and that He
created the earth by Himself, Isa. 45:5; Isa. 44:24. There is no
Saviour, He said, but Himself, Isa. 43:11.
It was He, the ONLY Lord God and ONLY Saviour, who came into the
world in the form of man to become man's salvation. The name "JESUS" is
the English equivalent of the Hebrew name given to the Messiah. And, it
means, "Jehovah-Saviour" or "Jehovah has become Salvation."
That is when the Son-ship began, when God became a man - the Babe of
Bethlehem - a Lamb of sacrifice for sin. It was God in the flesh who
died for the sins of the world, Acts 20:28. There was no Son before
Jesus was born in Bethlehem. Although, God -He who BECAME a Son- existed
as the invisible Spirit of Deity from Everlasting.
JESUS WAS "BOTH" GOD AND MAN
Jesus was a man, a perfect man. As a man He slept, He ate, and He
grew weary. But all of His mighty works prove that He was MORE than just
a man. Who else could raise the dead, walk on water, open blind eyes,
multiply bread and fish, or speak the word and calm the wind and waves?
Jesus was BOTH God AND man united in ONE image. That is the reason
He could say to Philip, "He that hath seen me hath seen the Father,"
John 14:9. And did not He say, I and my Father are ONE?" John 10:30. And
did He not also say, "If ye believe not that I am He (speaking of the
Father) ye shall die in your sins? John 8:24 & 27.
Indeed, it was a marvelous mystery. The Incarnate Christ was NOT
born after the fashion of ordinary man. He had no earthly father, but
was supernaturally conceived and born of the Holy Ghost AND the virgin
Mary (Matt. 1:18 & 20). He was BOTH human and Deity ... God AND man.
As a man, He ate. As God, He multiplied bread and fish. As a man, He
slept in the boat. As God, He arose and calmed the stormy waves. As a
man, He prayed at the tomb of Lazarus. As God, He raised Lazarus from
the dead. As a man, He died. As God, He raised Himself from the dead.
John 2:19. He was BOTH God AND man - Father and Son - Spirit and Flesh
... in ONE IMAGE.
God speaks of things that are not yet, as though they are.
Therefore, when He said "Let us make man in our image (not images), He
was speaking in the presense of angels of the two-fold relationship of
Father and Son in ONE Image. We read: "So God (by Himself) created man
in HIS OWN IMAGE (not images), Gen. 1:26-27. What, then, is God's Image?
Jesus is the IMAGE of the INVISIBLE GOD. Col. 1:15.
The children of Israel had never seen their God. He was always
invisible to them. But, when Jesus came, the Invisible God was made
visible. At the same time God was manifest in flesh on earth, He
remained Spirit in heaven. For that reason Jesus could speak of the
Father that dwelleth in me," and also speak of the Father "in heaven."
RIGHT HAND.
Jesus at the right hand of God does NOT mean that God and Jesus are
two persons sitting side by side on a throne in heaven ... "both of
them" sitting there stationary for centuries. That is a ridiculous AND
unscriptural idea of God. A preacher once said that Jesus had stood up
only one time since He ascended into heaven, and that was when He stood
up to welcome Stephen, because Stephen saw Him "standing" at the right
hand of God.
But, that is NOT the correct meaning of the "right hand". The right
hand is a symbolic term meaning a place of "acceptance, power and
authority" not a physical location. Jesus said: "All power is given unto
me in heaven and in earth." When God became Incarnate Man on earth He
did all of His mighty works through the power and authority of that Man.
And now that Jesus has ascended to heaven He has ALL the power in
heaven. Matt. 28:18. Therefore, Jesus at the right hand of God, means
that Jesus has all the power. It means that Jesus "IS" the power of God.
1 Cor. 1:24. HE IS GOD!
It must be remembered that the Lord Jesus Christ is MORE than just a
man. He is BOTH God and man. He is God manifest (revealed) in the
flesh, I Tim 3:16.
The following is a few symbolic uses of "right hand":
My "right hand" hath spanned the heavens, Isa 48:13.
The Lord is at the "right hand" of the poor. Psa 109:31.
God led the children of Israel by the "right hand" of Moses, Isa. 63:12.
The Lord was on David's "right hand", Psa 16:8
Sheep on His "right hand", goats on His left. Matt. 25:33
THE HOLY SPIRIT.
The Holy Spirit is NOT a third, separate and distinct person from
the Father and the Son. The Holy Spirit "IS" God. In John 4:24 we read:
"God is a SPIRIT." And, God is HOLY. Therefore, God is the HOLY SPIRIT.
No further evidence is needed to prove that the Holy Ghost is God than
the scriptural fact that the Holy Ghost is the Father of Jesus. Matt.
1:18 & 20. It must be remembered that Jesus was the Incarnation of
God ... or God in human form.
JESUS IS THE HOLY SPIRIT.
Jesus called his disciples together one day and told them He was
soon going away. But, that, He would send another Comforter, who would
abide with them forever.
Who, then, is this other Comforter? What is His name? Is He someone
else other than Jesus? If the Comforter is someone else, then Jesus is
not here. He is not "IN" us. But, Jesus said, "Lo, I am with you alway,
even to the end of the world."
Jesus did not leave His disciples in the dark. He told them very
plainly who the other Comforter is. Said He: "I will not leave you
Comfortless, ‘I’ will come to you."John 14:18
What He told them about the "other" Comforter was, He was dwelling
"with" them, and would be "IN" them. Jesus was WITH (and comforting)
them while in the flesh. He went back to heaven in the flesh, but
returned in another (Spirit) form on the day of Pentecost to be "IN"
them. So, we may rightfully sing: "Since Jesus came into my heart."
Therefore, the name of the Comforter - who is the Holy Ghost - is
"Jesus". John 14:26. There is NO other name.
THE TRINITY THEORY.
Through the confusion of the dark ages, and the TRADITIONS of men,
the vision of the greatness and the glory and majesty of the Lord Jesus
Christ has become dimmed. He who said: "I am the First and the Last" has
been relegated to second place.
After a raging discussion of centuries concerning the Godhead, a
doctrine was finally emerged, known as the doctrine of the Trinity,
namely: that God consists of three separate and distinct, co-equal,
co-eternal, co-existent, "persons". Thus, making Jesus Christ a "junior
partner", instead of Him being LORD OF ALL, as the Bible states.
God, no doubt, has winked at the ignorance of the people as they
have piously chanted hymns to the "blessed holy trinity - God in three
persons". But, now the mists are being cleared away. And, the doctrines,
as taught by the Apostles, are again being revealed - that Jesus Christ
is God, the Spirit, manifested in the flesh - NOT one of three
"persons" in one position, but one person in all 3 positions.
The trinity doctrine is man's feeble attempt to solve the great
mystery of the Incarnate God. But, in thus disposing of the mystery,
they have only added absurdity to mystery.
People in Jesus’ day were continually asking: Who art thou? Whom
makest thou thyself? What manner of man is this? Whence hath this man
this wisdom? Art thou, then, the Son of God? Art thou the king of the
Jews? Whence art thou? How knoweth this man letters, having never
learned? Who is this that forgiveth sins, also?
And, still, today, the world is puzzled. No wonder. He is great and
marvelous! The name "Jesus" is above all other names. No tongue of man
has ever proclaimed His worth.
ANTI-CHRIST.
The devil has done his best to conceal the identity of Jesus Christ
-to hide Him from the people. And, so well will He have succeeded,
until, at the end of the age, the entire world will reject Jesus Christ,
and will worship the anti-christ as God (all except those whose names
are written in the book of life).
John warned of this when He said: "Every spirit that confesseth not
that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God; and this is that
spirit of anti-christ." I Tim. 3:16 says God was manifest in the flesh.
And, I John 4:2 says Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. Harmonizing
these two scriptures we find that Jesus Christ was God who came in the
flesh. And, to attempt to place Him on a lower plane than the Mighty
God, who is "LORD OF ALL", is to join ranks with the anti-christ forces.
In the Incarnate Christ dwells ALL the fullness of the Godhead
"BODILY" ... in human form. Col. 2:9; Acts 2:38; Acts 8:12,17; Acts 10:
44-48; Acts 19:1-6; Col 3:17.
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A NOTE FROM BOBBY G. RICHARDSON:
Since 1986 I’ve been offering the following $10,000.00 REWARD
to any priest, clergyman, layman or "professing" Christian in an effort
to provoke serious, but "independent", Bible study and research. As a
former trinitarian, myself, I am convinced many people have been so
effectively indoctrinated that they've accepted this man-made theory,
which evolved from the 325 A.D. Roman Council of Nicaea, without being
aware that it has absolutely no specific Bible authority. But, instead,
is based, and built, upon a handful of carefully selected Scriptures
which have either been interpreted quite "literally" and/or have been
given "implied" interpretations - which clash with the vast
"preponderance" of Scriptural evidence that is found written VERBATIM
upon the pages of God's Holy Word ... thus adding to or taking from.
$10,000 Reward.
Offered to anyone who can find ONE scripture in the authorized King James Version of the Holy Bible TEXT as follows:
(1) with the word "trinity" in it;
(2) where the term "persons" (plural) was ever used to describe God or the Godhead; OR
(3) where anyone was ever baptized with the TITLES* "Father, Son and Holy Ghost" pronounced over them.
(*These "titles" are quoted by virtually every religious
denomination today among BOTH Catholic and Protestants, regardless of
whether they baptize by sprinkling or by immersion).
I use the following questions to provoke study, thought and prayer
regarding the logically, Scripturally and historically flawed "theory"
of a trinity ...
1. How many "persons" are in the Godhead?
2. How many "LORDS" are in the Godhead?
3. How many "Spirits" are in the Godhead?
4. How many "Spirits" dwelled between the cherubims in the Most Holy Place?
5. How many "Saviours" are in the Godhead?
6. In what form did Jesus exist prior to the Incarnation?
7. How far back have you been able to find documentation which refers to Almighty God as "three persons" or as a "trinity?"
8. Are you aware that, long before the concept of a "triune" God
evolved, pagans in ancient Rome worshipped what is known as a "triad" of
three gods, which was symbolized by an equilateral triangle?
Below, is a listing of some of my web pages ...
$ 10,000.00 Reward.
http://www.impact-ministry.com/acts2/reward.html
On Line Non-Denominational Bible Study
http://impact-ministry.com/acts2/
50 Reasons why the Bible does not mention a trinity or refer to God as "persons" (plural).
http://www.impact-ministry.com/acts2/trinity.html
Have you received the Holy Ghost since you believed?
http://www.impact-ministry.com/acts2/believed.html
An open letter to any Mormon, requesting info.
http://www.impact-ministry.com/acts2/mormon.html
An open letter to any Jehovah's Witness, requesting info.
http://www.impact-ministry.com/acts2/witness.html
What God has led (and allowed) me to do has touched the lives of
people, not only here in the United States, but also in Australia,
Austria, Bahrain; Belarus; Belgium, Botswana, Brazil, Canada, France,
Ghana; Germany, Greece, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Israel, Italy; Japan,
Jamaica, Latvia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Malaysia, Mexico,
Moldavia, Peru, Philippines; Poland; Portugal, Romania, Russian
Federation, Saudi Arabia; Singapore, South Africa, Slovenia; Sweden,
Switzerland, Uganda; United Arab Emirates; United Kingdom, and Zimbabwe.
And, I give all the praise, the glory, and the honor to Almighty God!
It humbles me to think that God would actually call, forgive, transform,
qualify and use this former, rowdy, red neck, dirt farming, hick kid
from Mississippi to touch the lives of people all over the world. What
would the men, who turned their world upside for Christ, have done if
they would have had today's modern day tools and equipment?
It is my most earnest and sincere prayer that, if you haven’t done
so already, you will come to understand and embrace the Apostles’ One
God Monotheistic Doctrine AND accept and comply with Acts 2:38-39 ...
"Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized EVERY ONE of you in
the NAME of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive
the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your
children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God
shall call."
In the movies, the humble newspaper reporter, Clark Kent, often
spoke, and acted, as if Superman was someone, other than himself. But,
in real life, the "real" Superman did come to this earth ... and He name
was called Jesus!
I wish you much success in doing what God leads you to do. The fields are truly white to harvest. God bless!
Bobby G. Richardson
Non-denominational layman
acts2@impact-ministry.com
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