LET'S TALK ABOUT GOD

The churches of Christ Greet You (Romans 16:16)


Introduction:

Jesus is not only the Son of God, but also God the Son.  Since no greater truth is affirmed in the Sacred Text, one cannot read the Bible (especially the New Testament) without recognizing the One who is God the Son (cf. Heb. 1:8).  This doctrine in fact permeates the Word of God from Genesis to Revelation; only a materialist would fail to see it.

 
VII.  LET'S TALK ABOUT GOD THE SON

 "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and Word was God" (John 1:1).  "Was" --- implies continuous existence, not origin.  "The Word" applies to Christ the pre-existent One.  Christ the Logos denotes the essential Word of God, His minister in the creation and government of the universe, the cause of all the world's life both physical and ethical, which for the procurement of man's salvation put on human nature in the person of Jesus the Messiah and shone forth conspicuously from His words and deeds.
    
The apostle John later wrote: "That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life" (1 John 1:1).  The remarkable unity that exists between this passage and John 1:1 is easily seen.  Both powerfully affirm the pre-existent Christ; the Word who became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:14).
   
"The Word" was with God.  As Logos has the double meaning of thought and speech, so Christ is related to God as the word to the idea; the word being not merely a name for the idea, but the idea itself expressed.  "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was born, I am" (John 8:58).  "Am" is the translation of (eimi) and means "timeless existence" (cf. John 14:8-10; 17:5).
How is the Word “with God”?  "With" --- implies union, communion and intimacy (cf. Mark 6:3; 1 Cor. 16:6).  The Greek word translated “with” is “pros.”  As John used it here and other places it represents equality and intimacy.  The Word Logos was “face to face with God;” He was in the bosom of the Father...and was “on equality with God” (Philippians 2:6).  There was perfect fellowship (sharing) by the Father and the Word.  The same Greek word “pros” is used in 1 John 2:1:  “... we have an Advocate with (face to face, intimately, etc.) the Father.”
    
Christ is the Son of God.  He was with the Father before the world was created (John 1:1). With reference to Christ, Paul said, "Who existing in the form of God, counted not the being on an equality with God a thing to be grasped" (Philippians 2:6).  Christ existed in the form of God and not the form of man. When Christ came to this earth He was made in the likeness of man.  Thus, in Philippians 2:6, the phrase “who being (huparchon) in the form of God,” implies His pre-existent Deity, previous to His birth, and His continued Deity afterwards.
    
As we meditate on the sacrifice of Christ, let’s now take a step deeper.  Do we really realize what Christ gave up to save us?  Not only did Jesus willingly die on the cross and shed His precious blood to cleanse us from our sin, but (as we have shown above) Jesus willingly gave up His “equality with God” (Philippians 2:6).  HE GAVE IT UP FOR ALL ETERNITY! (READ 1 Cor. 15:24-28).
    
The end of this Christian age will come when Jesus returns (vs. 24).  At that time He will deliver up or turn the kingdom (or church) over to the Father (vs. 25).  Jesus is reigning PRESENTLY over God’s kingdom (vs. 25).
 
 NOTE: This one passage alone forever destroys the false pre-millennial view of the end of time. That false teaching states that Christ is going to come and set up an earthly kingdom in Jerusalem. He will then sit on His throne and BEGIN His reign of 1,000 years. However, the Bible teaches that Jesus has been reigning over His kingdom since He first returned to Heaven (cf. Dan. 7:13-14).  Christians have been moved (translated) into His kingdom (Col. 1:13).  Thus, the kingdom has already come (cf. Mark 9:1).  Jesus, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords (1 Tim. 6:15; Rev. 19:16), is presently reigning over His kingdom.
   
When Christ comes He will put an end to our last enemy - death (vs. 26).  God put all things except Himself under Jesus’ feet (vs. 27; cf. Matt. 28:18; Eph. 1:22-23).  When Jesus delivers up the kingdom to God, HE HIMSELF WILL REMAIN SUBJECT TO GOD! (vs. 28).  What a sacrifice!
   
Jesus gave up His equality with God.  He became a man and humbled Himself.  He became obedient, even though it meant dying the death of the cross (Phil. 2:6-8).  Right now Jesus is reigning on His throne in the form of a MAN (cf. 1 Tim. 2:5).  He will return for His kingdom in the form of a MAN (Acts 1:11).  Our bodies will be changed as we rise to meet Jesus in the air (1 Thess. 4:15-18).  We will be changed to become like HIM (1 John 3:2).  He will deliver us up to God and He Himself will remain under God’s authority forever (1 Cor. 15:24-28).  WHAT A SACRIFICE!
 

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