So once again I must ask; why is it necessary to believe that Jesus the man has in some spiritual form always consciously existed along side the Father as the Father's word or "logos"?
Hi Bob, well we have to considered what Christ Jesus said Himself.
John 8:58 Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.”
John 1:14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
So Gen. 1:1 says that the Word was in the beginning, I believe this is speaking of the beginning of this creation and this Word spoken of is the God and Creator of this creation. But then He came to live among us as flesh and blood to have a human experience and to die as we do. This was His ultimate act of love to come down from His place on high and live in this world and literally die a cruel death, and doing this, as the perfect God of creation, His life was worth more than all of human life put together, therefore He qualified to pay/cover all sin. And not only that, but He also was first resurrected to open the way for us all eventually to follow in resurrection.
Rev 22:13 “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.”
If there is no separation between The Father and His Son - how come Jesus died and His Father bright Him back to life.
Hi George, when you consider that the Son was not always a part of the Father, He did not always exist. But then that gives you a way to see that the Father brought Him forth and could then removed Him for that period of time, His Spirit did return to the Father (Luke 23:46). He was actually able to emptied Himself of the glory that gave Him spiritual LIFE, so He could be lower and born as flesh and then die. So He could and did lose His existence for the purpose of death... see what I mean?
Phil 2:7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.The Father is not dependent on the Son, but the Son is certainly dependent on the Father.
Heb 2:9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone.
The Father could do this the same way He brought the Son into existence, the Father is not limited in any way, so this is certainly possible. He could do this with the Son because the Son is not all of God, but the part that the Father brought into being to be God of this creation, even to the point of dying for us all.
But the Son is God of this creation and always will be and He in so being has the Holy Spirit without measure.
John 3:34 For he whom God has sent utters the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure.
That makes me think that when the elect are made "like" Christ at resurrection they too will have the Holy Spirit without measure and this will give the elect that connection, oneness and like the Son they too will become a part of God, like Christ always has been. For now we are being prepared for what is to come at resurrection, for now the elect have the guaranteed, the promised that they too will be one with God when Christ returns to rule the world.
1 John 3:2 Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.
Eph 1:11 In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will,
v. 12 that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory.
v. 13 In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,
v. 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.
mercy, peace and love
Kat