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| :''...but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of God’s unique Son.<ref>International Standard Version, Jn 3:18 (Yorba Linda, CA: ISV Foundation, 2011).</ref> | | :''...but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of God’s unique Son.<ref>International Standard Version, Jn 3:18 (Yorba Linda, CA: ISV Foundation, 2011).</ref> |
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| ='''Why did Jesus say "before Abraham was, I am", if he was not the eternal son?=
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| God made Jesus ''"both Lord and Christ"'' (Acts 2:36). "Lord" refers to the word "[[Jehovah]]", which is the self-existent one. Jesus was Jehovah in flesh, born of a woman. "Christ" is the Greek word for [[Messiah]], which means "anointed" [[Messiah]] by God. There are examples in the Bible of when God had entered flesh before, but never as the son of God. Here are two examples:
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| #When King Nebuchadnezzar threw three Hebrews into a furnace, he saw four "men" walking around, and declared that the fourth man was ''"like the Son of God"'' (Daniel 3:25). This man was "like" the Son of God as he was God in the flesh, but he was not the Son of God as he was not born of a woman.
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| #Melchizedek ate bread and drank wine with Abraham, just like Jesus had communion with his disciples (Genesis 14:18). The Bible says that Melchizedek was made ''"like unto the Son of God"'' and was without beginning or end (Hebrews 7:3). Melchizedek was also God in flesh, but he was not the Son of God as he was not born of a woman.
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| When Jesus said "before Abraham was, I am" (John 8:58) and referred to the glory he had with the Father "before the world was" (John 17:5), he was revealing that he was the possessor of the soul and spirit of God. Jesus' body was the temple of God (John 2:19) made of a woman, but inside he was the invisible God, [[Jehovah]], of the Old Testament. His body was irrelevant to his existence, but relevant to the process of our redemption. Those who believe are also called the temple of the living God (II Corinthians 6:16). Just as the Woman was from the flesh of Man, those who believe are from the Spirit of God, and are eternal.
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| {|style="background-color:#cedff2; border:1px #a3b0bf solid; text-align:center; width:800px;"
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| |''Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.'' (Hebrews 13:8)
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| ''I and my Father are one.'' (John 10:30)
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| ='''How could God speak from heaven, if he was not another "person"?=
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| Jesus, born of a woman, was subject to gravity, death, and time. God is not subject to any of these things. If the Spirit of God can continue to work outside of your frame of existence, and you are a son of God, then there is no reason why the Spirit of God would be restricted from working outside of Jesus' body while Jesus was on earth.
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| ='''If the Son had a beginning, does he also have an end?'''=
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| The body of Jesus was formed in Mary's womb, and the body of Jesus died on a cross and was placed in a tomb. The Son of man was born, and the Son of Man died. The Spirit of Jesus, however, is the eternal Holy Spirit, also known as the Word, which was with God and was God in the beginning (John 1:1).
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| When Jesus rose from the dead he proved that God's life in the Spirit of his Son is eternal, and is not subject to death. Jesus then ascended into heaven, was glorified, and returned to the earth to minister to his disciples (John 20:16-17, John 20:27). When Jesus returned he was no longer confined to the laws of nature, but was able to appear and disappear at will as the Son of God. All of the functions of his natural body - memory, sight, taste, mass, etc... - existed and restricted only on command.
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| Jesus prophesied that he had come from the Father and would go back to the Father (John 16:28). Paul writes that ''"when all things shall be subdued unto him,"'' (including death) ''"then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him , that God may be all in all."'' (I Corinthians 15:28). Jesus became the Saviour by submitting his spirit into the hands of the Father (Luke 23:46) - and Paul's writing prophecies of another submission which will produce an even greater result.
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| ='''What does "adoption" mean in the Bible?=
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| In Western society, adoption is the process of legally claiming an orphan or another person's child as your own child. In Eastern society, adoption also means the process whereby a son comes to power with his father over his inheritance (Galatians 4:1-2). If a son did not prove himself to be of sound judgment, his inheritance was instead given to a faithful servant (Proverbs 17:2).
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| {|style="background-color:#cedff2; border:1px #a3b0bf solid; text-align:center; width:800px;"
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| |''Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all; But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father.'' (Galatians 4:1-2)
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| ''A wise servant shall have rule over a son that causeth shame, and shall have part of the inheritance among the brethren.'' (Proverbs 17:2)
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| Even though he was the Son of God bodily, Jesus could not fulfill the scriptures until he had been adopted as a son, being given authority over his inheritance, by the Father. This adoption was made at Jesus' baptism, when the Spirit of God descended in the form of a dove, and a voice spoke from heaven saying ''"This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased"'' (Matthew 3:17). This adoption was later confirmed when Jesus was transfigured, and spoke with Moses and Elijah. Again a voice from the midst of a cloud saying ''"This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him"'' (Matthew 17:5)
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| Because Jesus was the adopted Son of God, he also gave us the right to be adopted into the inheritance of God through our obedience to his Word.
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| {|style="background-color:#cedff2; border:1px #a3b0bf solid; text-align:center; width:800px;"
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| |''Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;'' (Hebrews 5:8-9)
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| =Conclusion=
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| In spite of this explanation, the mystery of the Godhead will only be "known" to those who are elected and predestined by God. You may not like the fact that God has control over your eternal destination, but Jesus said ''"neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him."'' (Matthew 11:27)
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| However, God gave instruction for those wanting to know him and have not received the Holy Ghost, for the scriptures say that ''"no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost."'' (I Corinthians 12:3) The instructions God gave to receive the Holy Spirit are:
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| #''"Thou shalt have no other gods before me."'' (Exodus 20:3)
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| #''"Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost"'' (Acts 2:38)
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| For more on receiving the Holy Spirit, [[Invitation to Eternal Life|click here]]
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| {|style="background-color:#cedff2; border:1px #a3b0bf solid; text-align:center; width:800px;"
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| |''For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.'' (Jeremiah 29:11-13)
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| -----
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| ''I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.'' (Proverbs 8:17)
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| -----
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| ''Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:'' (Matthew 7:7)
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| =Further Studies=
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| *[[Portal:History (Eternity)|Who is God? (A brief history)]]
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| *[[Jesus|Who is Jesus?]]
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| *[[Trinity and Oneness|Trinity and Oneness doctrines vs. the Bible]]
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| *Bible Studies on the Godhead by: [[Jesus on the Godhead|Jesus]], [[Paul on the Godhead|Paul]], [[Irenaeus on the Godhead|Irenaeus]], [[William Branham on the Godhead|William Branham]]
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| *Suggested Reading: '''[http://www.thefreeword.com/books/7857-L.pdf The Sermon "Questions and Answers on Hebrews #2" by William Branham]'''.
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