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Question regarding humanity of Christ

Discussion in '2000-02 Archive' started by Harald, Nov 14, 2001.

  1. Harald

    Harald New Member

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    Hello. I have a question. I ran into two former friends. Their denomination teaches that the perfect and sinless humanity of Jesus of Nazareth today is omnipresent, i.e. is present everywhere in the universe at one and the same time. To me this sounded strange and had never heard this before. They said it is an old Christian doctrine, and orthodox (not meaning Eastern Orthodox and the like) doctrine. They supported this doctrine by some verse from Colossians which says Christ fills everything. They said my doctrine of the trinity was wrong, when I stated that Christ is everywhere present as to His deity. They said I split, or, divide Christ. Now the question is; have the old Particular Baptists of England (1600’s & 1700’s), the Gospel Standard Baptists of England (1800’ up to now) and the Primitive Baptists of USA taught such a strange doctrine as these my friends? If so could you give a quote or a few to support. And secondly, are there in the word of God clear passages or one passage teaching this strange doctrine these men advocate? The other of them said that since Christ’s humanity is omnipresent it is present even in a book (and held up a theological book), but the book is not Christ, even though Christ is present in the book. To me these things sound like superstition and very strange. Thanks beforehand for clear answers.

    Harald
     
  2. Chris Temple

    Chris Temple New Member

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    Harald:

    You're right; these beliefs are superstitious and strange. It is nothing more than historic Gnosticism, the belief that the flesh is evil and Christ merely appeared to be in human form, but wasn't actually man.

    <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>1 John 4:2 By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God,
    3 and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

    By definition, Christ's humanity cannot be omnipresent; a body can be one place at one time. Christ is omnipresent in Spirit, but not in the flesh.

    The London Confession of Baptist Faith, Chapter VIII, Of Christ the Mediator says this:

    *******************************************
    I. The Son of God, the second person in the Holy Trinity, being very and eternal God, the brightness of the Father's glory, of one substance and equal with Him who made the world, who upholdeth and governeth all things He hath made, did, when the fulness of time was come, take upon Him man's nature, with all the essential properties and common infirmities thereof,[9] yet without sin;[10] being conceived by the Holy Spirit in the womb of the Virgin Mary, the Holy Spirit coming down upon her: and the power of the Most High overshadowing her; and so was made of a woman of the tribe of Judah, of the seed of Abraham and David according to the Scriptures;[11] so that two whole, perfect, and distinct natures were inseparably joined together in one person, without conversion, composition, or confusion; which person is very God and very man, yet one Christ, the only mediator between God and man.[12]

    9. John 1:14; Gal. 4:4
    10. Rom. 8:3; Heb. 2:14, 16-17; 4:15
    11. Matt. 1:22-23; Luke 1:27, 31, 35
    12. Rom. 9:5; I Tim. 2:5

    III. The Lord Jesus, in His human nature thus united to the divine, in the person of the Son, was sanctified and anointed with the Holy Spirit above measure,[13] having in Him all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge;[14] in whom it pleased the Father that all fullness should dwell,[15] to the end that being holy, harmless, undefiled,[16] and full of grace and truth,[17] He might be thoroughly furnished to execute the office of a mediator and surety;[18] which office He took not upon Himself, but was thereunto called by His Father;[19] who also put all power and judgement in His hand, and gave Him commandment to execute the same.[20]

    13. Psa. 45:7; Acts 10:38; John 3:34
    14. Col. 2:3

    15. Col. 1:19
    16. Heb. 7:26
    17. John 1:14
    18. Heb. 7:22
    19. Heb. 5:5
    20. John 5:22, 27; Matt. 28:18; Acts 2:36

    IV. This office the Lord Jesus did most willingly undertake,[21] which that He might discharge He was made under the law,[22] and did perfectly fulfil it, and underwent the punishment due to us, which we should have borne and suffered,[23] being made sin and a curse for us;[24]enduring most grievous sorrows in His soul, and most painful sufferings in His body;[25] was crucified, and died, and remaining in the state of the dead, yet saw no corruption:[26] and on the third day He arose from the dead [27] with the same body in which he suffered,[28] with which He also ascended into heaven,[29] and there sitteth at the right hand of His Father making intercession,[30] and shall return to judge men and angels at the end of the world.[31]

    21. Psa. 40:7-8; Heb. 10:5-10; John 10:18
    22. Gal. 4:4; Matt. 3:15
    23. Gal. 3:13; Isa. 53:6; I Peter 3:18
    24. II Cor. 5:21
    25. Matt. 26:37-38; Luke 22:44; Matt. 27:46
    26. Acts 13:37
    27. I Cor. 15:3-4
    28. John 20:25, 27
    29. Mark 16:19; Acts 1:9-11
    30. Rom. 8:34; Heb. 9:24
    31. Acts 10:42; Rom. 14:9-10; Acts 1:11; II Peter 2:4
     
  3. jmbertrand

    jmbertrand Guest

    If there are any Lutherans on the board, they could probably address this in more detail, but isn't Luther's doctrine of transubstantiation based on the idea that Christ is bodily present everywhere? The accusation that you are 'splitting' Christ sounds similar to the Lutheran critique of Calvin in rejecting this omnipresent body.

    Mark
    [email protected]
     
  4. John Wells

    John Wells New Member

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    Christ promised the disciples, “I am with you always.” Recognizing that Christ has a human nature as well as a divine nature, it should be stated that in His humanity He is localized in heaven, sitting at the right hand of God, interceding for believers, but in His deity He is omnipresent. Christ’s indwelling of every believer demands that He is omnipresent.

    John 14:23 (NASB95)
    23 Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him.

    Ephesians 3:17 (NIV)
    17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love,

    Colossians 1:27 (NIV)
    27 To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

    Revelation 3:20 (NIV)
    20 Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.
     
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