SPELLING EDITED M-8. Did God Create all things out of NOTHING?
Some Christians believe that Almighty God created all things out of NOTHING, which Bible scholars refer to as “creatio ex nihilo”, a Latin phrase meaning creation out of nothing. However, on the other side of this controversy, there are two groups of Christians that have trouble accepting that God creates all things out of nothing and it only seems rational to them and to me that God must have created all things out of SOMETHING. So then, many Christians, who believe that God created all things out of SOMETHING have concluded that God created all things out from HIMSELF, which Bible scholars refer to as “creatio ex deo”, a Latin phrase meaning creation OUT OF God. And since God is invisible and not seen then one could draw the conclusion that God created everything out of nothing. We will take a closer look at the verse which says the worlds were frame from what is unseen further on in this study. And then there is another group of Christians who believe that God must have created all things out of something that already existed. They have reasoned that God created all things out of MATTER that existed with God. Bible scholars call this belief “creation ex materia” a Latin phrase meaning creation out of matter.
But what does the Bible ITSELF teach us?
Before we delve or dig into the Bible to search out the answer to which teaching is sound Biblical teaching, please understand that this study in God's word, as with all my studies, is about presenting my readers with all the evidence of which I myself have been made aware. I cannot share what I, myself, have never heard. So then from that evidence that I, myself, have found, I draw my own personal conclusion as to why I myself believe what I believe. And then I leave it to my readers and seekers of the truth to draw their OWN conclusion based upon the evidence and what you feel that the Holy Spirit is teaching YOU. You may agree with my own personal conclusion or you may disagree with my conclusion. If you have an argument or point that I have NOT covered and you wish to share that point with me and other Christians, then please write to me and I will add your point to this study. The purpose of this study is to help those who are struggling with either side of this controversy. What I mean by this is that I have heard some Christians say that they cannot comprehend how God creates all things out of nothing but they can comprehend how God creates all things out of what already exists and has existed for all eternity without being created. And for me and many other Christians that something that existed with God is SPIRIT which I believe is a very part of God Himself seeing that God is a Spirit. Also, no one really knows what Spirit is. So what science calls atoms and other microscopic particles that are the building blocks of matter could very well be a part of God's being called Spirit. However, some church denominations or fellowships or groups of Christians to which Christians associate themselves believe and DOGMATICALLY teach that God created all things out of nothing. And in situations like this, where a believer QUESTIONS what they are being taught by the mainstream churches, they are sometimes made to feel stupid and even mocked by their denominational leaders for even thinking about what that church denomination teaches is not the truth. So then, these Christians that are questioning what their church denomination teaches are seeking a different understanding of how God created all things either because what they are being taught does not make sense to THEM or the Holy Spirit has shown them something in the word of truth, the Holy Bible, that seems to contradict what they have been taught. In other words, to some Christians, the only rational logical thing that they themselves can grasp is that God must have created all things out of SOMETHING that already existed. And then, from what some Christians feel that the Bible itself teaches us, those Christians conclude that the ONLY thing that has always existed which was never created is Almighty God Himself. So to me, seeing that Almighty God is the ONLY thing that has always existed, the theory that God created all things out of something ELSE that ALREADY existed makes no sense to me. In other words, those Christians who cannot comprehend how God creates all things out of Himself, or out of nothing, have reasoned that matter like the atoms, electrons, and so forth have always existed WITH God as the building blocks that God USED to make from and shape all creation. But I believe that the building blocks that became creation come OUT FROM God Himself as opposed to being WITH God or outside of God. Again, just to review a little, there are Christians who are perhaps the majority of Christians, who seem to just parrot what they were taught that God creates all things out of nothing. And, if so be, their church denomination does indeed teach that God created all things out of nothing then they are content with their belief and they are not seeking any truth. For you see, to them, they feel that they already have the truth. Thus, those Christians are NOT STRUGGLING with their faith. There is no questioning at this present time within themselves, therefore, they are not seeking any help. Also, there could be some Christians who cannot comprehend how God can create all things out of Himself BUT their church denomination is teaching that God created all things out of Himself. So then, they are now STRUGGLING to understand HOW can this be? How could God create the entire universe out of Himself and still be fully God? To say this another way, some Christians trust and believe that what they are being taught by the group of Christians with which they associate themselves as like-minded believers and, therefore, there is NO struggle within them. But on the other side, some Christians are seeing something that they cannot place their finger upon or pinpoint as exactly as to what that something is, but they feel that what they are being taught just does not make sense to THEM any longer. Therefore, they are struggling or questioning or doubting what they have been taught. Thus they are SEEKING what makes the most sense to THEM. And that is what my website is about. My website here at AMatterOfTruth.com is to share some of the things with which I myself have struggled with and I feel that God has led me to the truth of the WHOLE word of God that has brought me peace because it makes sense to ME. I share the evidence that I myself came across in my search for understanding the TRUTH and then I share why what makes the most sense to ME. And after you read all the evidence from the Scriptures and you feel that I am in error then that is because we differ on our INTERPRETATION of the Scriptures. Now, I have to say that this subject of WHAT did God create all things out of was never a question of CONCERN. What I mean by this is that I was taught by the church denominations that I attended that God created all things out of nothing. And I believe that nothing is impossible with God. So then, I simply accepted what I was taught as being the truth. I was content with the teaching that God created all things out of nothing even after I saw from God's word a verse that could be INTERPRETED in MORE than just ONE way, but I really never put all the pieces together at that time in my life. It was when I was studying another subject on who Jesus is that I came across a literal interlinear word for word translation of the Bible that I saw for the first time what the original Hebrew and Greek texts were literally saying. But after I saw the truth from the Bible itself it was not a struggle for me because by this time in my life I had ceased believing the doctrines of the mainstream church denominations to place my faith in the Bible and the Holy Spirit alone. In other words, I simply began to believe what the Bible ITSELF was teaching ME through the leading and guiding of the Holy Spirit OVER what church denominations teach. I have found through the years that the MAJORITY is not always teaching sound Biblical teaching. WHAT DOES THE BIBLE ITSELF TEACH?
I would have to say that there is one common passage of Scripture that both sides of this controversy use and those verses or the passage of Scripture are found in Hebrews 11:1-3.
Hebrews 11:1-3.
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 2. For by it (Or because of faith) the elders obtained a good report. (Meaning that the Old Testament saints held fast to what they believed and because of their FAITH they did not cast away what they believed they have a good report. In some schools, they give report cards as a way of keeping a record. God keeps a record. So because these Saints have kept the faith unto the end they have been given a good report card, so to speak.) 3. Through faith, we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God so that things which are seen were NOT made OF (Or made out from) things which do APPEAR.”
Now please understand that this verse does not specifically state as a FACT that God created all things out of nothing and, therefore, that is what this verse means, without fail, and it cannot be interpreted in any other way. I say this because some Christians read the Bible from other translations of the Bible where other translations of the Bible specifically state in such a WAY as being FACT that God created the things that are seen out of nothing. Please read Hebrews 11:3 from the Basic English Bible.
Hebrews 11:3 from the Basic English Bible.
“By faith, it is clear to us that the order of events was fixed by the word of God so that what is seen has not been made from things which only SEEM to be.”
This translation makes it perfectly clear that creation was NOT made from anything that SEEMS to BE. What I mean by this is that the “wording” chosen by the translator leaves no other way for this verse to be interpreted any other way other than God created all things out of nothing. And the reason I say this is because I myself do not believe that any Christian would ever say that God himself only SEEMS to BE. Thus, this translation concerning this “particular” verse of Scripture is INTERPRETING the Bible FOR you giving you no other option for interpreting this verse any other way. But is this translator's INTERPRETATION the correct interpretation? Let us read one more Bible translation that has interpreted Hebrews 11:3 FOR you and then we will look at some other Bible translations to see if there are OTHER possible interpretations of this verse.
Hebrews 11:3 from the Complete Jerusalem Bible.
“By trusting, we understand that the universe was created through a spoken word of God so that what is seen did NOT come into being out of EXISTING phenomena.”
Again, all Christians agree that God Himself has always EXISTED so this particular translation as well as the one above would lead me to believe that the translators are saying that God did NOT create all things out of Himself. Unless, of course, one considers God to be a phenomenon that is entirely possible when one considers all of the meanings of the word “phenomenon” such as a remarkable person or thing. But again, are these translations of the Bible correct in their translation of the original text? We will get to the meanings of the Greek word translated as “which only SEEM to BE” and “EXISTING phenomena” after we read a few other Bible translations.
Here is Hebrews 11:3 from the Holman Christian Bible.
“By faith (Or by trusting God's word and believing what his word says) we understand that the universe was created by the word of God so that what is seen has been made FROM things that are NOT VISIBLE”
Here is Hebrew 11:3 from the Common English Bible.
“By faith, we understand that the universe has been created by a word from God so that the visible came into existence FROM the INVISIBLE.”
Hebrews 11:3 from the New Century Bible.
“It is by faith we understand that the whole world was made by God's command so what we see was made by something that CANNOT BE SEEN.”
Hebrews 11:3 from the New International Readers Bible.
“We have faith. (Or we have faith in what the word of God teaches us) So we understand that everything was made when God commanded it. That's why we believe that what we see was not made out of what could be SEEN.”
Now, from these Bible translations, we can understand that there is MORE than just ONE way for this verse to be translated. In other words, some Christians INTERPRET this verse to mean that what is INVISIBLE being spoken of here which can NOT be SEEN is speaking of NOTHING. And, therefore, they conclude that what the writer of Hebrews is actually saying is that the UNSEEN means could not be speaking of Almighty God Himself. But is that a correct assumption? I mean how can we know what the writer of Hebrews INTENDED his words to mean? Did the writer of Hebrews intend his words to mean that God created all things out of nothing? The writer does seem to be saying that it is by our FAITH that we UNDERSTAND how God created all things. So to ME, the writer of Hebrews is saying that it is by our FAITH in the word of truth, the Holy Bible as opposed to our faith in science falsely so-called or our faith in the traditions of men. THE BIBLE DOES NOT CONTRADICT ITSELF!
Most Christians agree that the Bible ITSELF is without any contradictions in its original text. So when there SEEMS to be a contradiction then it can be resolved by correctly INTERPRETING Scripture by comparing Scripture with other Scripture. Remember that the context says we have FAITH. And it is because of our FAITH in what the word of God teaches us is why we believe that all things were created from the INVISIBLE which cannot be SEEN. Now it is simply the matter of correctly interpreting what the writer of Hebrews intended his words “INVISIBLE, UNSEEN, do NOT APPEAR, and cannot be seen” are referring to. Does the Bible ITSELF specifically teach us anywhere that the unseen means NOTHING, as in, the ONLY way that what is INVISIBLE must always refer to meaning NOTHING? Let us begin this section of this study in God's word by reading 1 Timothy 6:12-16 where we see that Almighty God is INVISIBLE and can NOT be SEEN.
1 Timothy 6:12-16.
“Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto you are also called, and have professed a good profession (Of faith) before many witnesses. 13. I give you charge in the sight of God, who quickens (Or makes alive, or gives life to or who creates) all things, AND (I give you charge also) before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession; (And what is that charge? Keep reading the following verses) 14. THAT you KEEP this commandment (Or I give you charge that you hold fast to this teaching) without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ: 15. Which in his times (Speaking of the first and the second comings of Jesus) he (Jesus) shall show, who is the blessed and ONLY Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords; 16. Who ONLY has immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man has SEEN, nor can SEE: to whom be honor and power everlasting. Amen.”
The word translated as “Potentate” means Sovereign over everyone and everything. So the ONLY Potentate is speaking of the ALMIGHTY who alone is the Father. Verse 16 goes on to describe WHO the ALMIGHTY God IS. And one of those descriptions of the WHO is that the ONLY person or being who has always existed having immortality in Himself is the INVISIBLE one true God that can NOT be SEEN. So then, another INTERPRETATION of Hebrews 11:3 where all things are created out from or out of the INVISIBLE can be speaking of the one true Almighty and INVISIBLE God made all things OUT OF HIMSELF being the ETERNAL INVISIBLE Spirit who can NOT be SEEN. And I might add that the Bible ITSELF does indeed teach us that Almighty God the Father is INVISIBLE and CANNOT be SEEN. But I myself have not found anywhere in the Bible ITSELF where the invisible means NOTHING. So then, all I am saying is that since the Bible ITSELF defines Almighty God the Father as being INVISIBLE and UNSEEN. So then, to me, it is definitely possible that the writer of Hebrews could very well have intended his words to mean that by FAITH we UNDERSTAND that God made all things OUT FROM HIMSELF being the Eternal INVISIBLE Spirit God who can NOT be SEEN. The reason WHY Christians like myself believe and teach that God created everything OUT OF HIMSELF being the eternal invisible Spirit is NOT just because we cannot grasp the teaching that God made everything out of NOTHING, but rather, that we see directly from the word of Almighty God that the greater evidence points to God creating all things out from Himself. In other words, we are seeing that the GREATER weight of sound Biblical evidence points to God as having created all things out from within HIMSELF. Now, the major argument against Christians who believe that God created all things out from himself is the Scripture in Malachi that says God does not CHANGE. But that argument is based upon HOW they INTERPRET that verse of Scripture as it being impossible for God to MANIFEST himself into another permanent form. What I mean by this is that they agree that God can manifest Himself in any form while REMAINING FULLY God when He APPEARS in another form temporarily. Some Oneness Pentecost Christians believe that once the “purpose” of Jesus is accomplished then Jesus will be NO MORE. They believe that there will be only ONE being on the throne in heaven. But that is NOT what the Bible ITSELF teaches us. Please read the studies under the heading >>> IS THE ONENESS DOCTRINE BIBLICAL?<<< For now, let us take a closer look at the verse of Scripture found in Malachi 3:6 where it says that God changes NOT or God does NOT CHANGE. Please read Malachi 3:1-6 to correctly understand the true meaning of verse 3 where Yahweh says that he CHANGES NOT.
Malachi 3:1-6.
“Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom you delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts. (The context of verse 3 is speaking of the second coming of Jesus to execute the WRATH of Almighty God on the Day of Judgment upon the ungodly and the disobedient to the gospel of Jesus Christ) 2. But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appears? for he is like a refiner's fire, and like fullers' soap: 3. And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness. 4. Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the LORD, as in the days of old, and as in former years. 5. And I will come near to you to judgment, and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, says the LORD of hosts. 6. FOR (Or because) I am the LORD, I change not; therefore (Or for this very reason that Yahweh changes not) you sons of Jacob are NOT consumed.”
This verse has nothing to do with it being impossible for Almighty God to create all things out from himself based solely upon the INTERPRETATION of the phrase “I am Yahweh, I CHANGE NOT” being taken OUT of CONTEXT and made to say by an INTERPRETATION what it is NOT TRULY saying when it is correctly interpreted being left in its CONTEXT. The Hebrew word translated as change literally means in its CONTEXT that Yahweh will not ALTER with the wicked on the Day of Judgment when Jesus comes again to execute the wrath of Almighty God. God is not going to NEGOTIATE or change what he DECREED in his word. One of the meanings of this Hebrew word is to pretend. God is not bluffing. He means what he says. The wage of sin is DEATH and God is not going to listen to any excuses when His wrath is poured out upon the wicked BY the Son of man, Jesus at his coming. AND at the same time, Jacob or natural-born Jews of the seed of Jacob are NOT consumed BECAUSE God remembers His covenant with them. God extends his MERCY to Israel over and over so that they are not completely consumed and their name be cut off. The last half of this verse is also prophetic and is speaking of the RIGHTEOUS believers who are IN Jesus Christ that are the seed of Jacob by promise. Faithful Christians can be assured that WE will not be consumed for the very same reason that God changes NOT from what he has spoken in his word. We as Christians are NOT appointed to WRATH and God does NOT CHANGE from what He has spoken and promised in His word. Now some Christians will argue that this is not what the actual Hebrew “WORD” itself means. They will quote the definitions of this Hebrew word that means FOLD, DUPLICATE, and TRANSMUTE but they disregard the other meanings of this Hebrew word in its very CONTEXT. One of the meanings of the English verb “fold” carries the meaning of giving in like folding in a game, giving up, as in, consenting that the other side wins. God is NOT going to FOLD or cave-in to what He has spoken in His word. If the word duplicate is the meaning that the writer intended, then to me, the Oneness believer would be INCORRECT in saying that Jesus is ONE and the self-same divine eternal being as Almighty God the Father Himself seeing that God does NOT duplicate Himself. If duplicate were the intended meaning, then Jesus could NOT be the express image of Almighty God, as in, a duplicate copy of the original having his IDENTICAL NATURE of IMMORTALITY after the cross. In other words, if Oneness Pentecostal Christians us Malachi 3:6 to refute Christians who believe that God created everything out FROM HIMSELF then they are actually refuting their OWN doctrine which states that Jesus was fully the Almighty God and fully a man at the same time having TWO natures, one divine, and one human because God changes NOT. I agree with the Oneness argument that God cannot stop being God for if He did then everything would cease to exist. But by their OWN argument of the Father REMAINING the Father IN heaven while at the same time manifesting Himself as the Son proves by their own doctrine that not ALL of God manifested into the Son. So to me, using the argument that God changes not is meaningless when trying to prove that Jesus IS Yahweh Himself. The Bible ITSELF teaches us that Jesus is the IMAGE OF Yahweh, the FIRSTBORN of every CREATURE. And a CREATURE that is made BY Yahweh cannot be a DUPLICATE of Yahweh, according to Malichi 3:6 and the meaning of the Hebrew word translated as God changes NOT or God DUPLICATES NOT. Jesus himself said that he could do NOTHING OF himself and that it was the Father DWELLING IN him who did the work. So Jesus, as being the IMAGE OF Yahweh, does NOT mean that Jesus is Yahweh Himself. Also, Jesus was made in the image of God AFTER the cross being the FIRSTBORN of every creature. Please read the study “WHAT DOES FIRSTBORN OF EVERY CREATURE TRULY MEAN?” The CONTEXT of Malachi 3:6 does NOT speak of God changing not, as in, God will not duplicate HIMSELF or transmute into another form. But rather, it speaks of God NOT duplicating or going AGAINST what he has spoken in His word, as in, giving the wicked an EXCUSE on the Day of Judgment to give them a SECOND CHANCE. Rather, ONLY those UNSAVED people, who are NOT FAITHFUL Christians already saved, but rather, unsaved people who shall call upon the name of the Lord at his coming will be saved ALIVE in their mortal bodies to go into the 1000 year reign of Jesus to be taught of the Lord. So if you do not believe NOW in this present world in the Son of the living God and you remain alive at his coming, then do NOT try and make an EXCUSE for your sins. But rather, REPENT of your sin and call upon his name to be saved alive for the only other chance you will have to obtain eternal life in the world to come. Trust me when I say you will want to be faithful Christians BEFORE the second coming of Jesus. Back to the subject at hand, if you look at all the meanings of this Hebrew word that is translated as “change” in Malachi 3:6, then you can see meanings like DO AGAIN, to REPEAT, to ALTER, a SECOND TIME, to disguise, to pretend, to return. God will not return or turn back from what he has spoken. God will not alter what he has spoken. God will not alter or change what he has spoken. I can only speak for myself, but I was taught that the CONTEXT must determine the correct meaning of a word. And when interpreting God's word we must compare Scripture with Scripture to see if what we have concluded a verse to mean so that INTERPRETATION agrees with the rest of God's word. And the INTERPRETATION of Almighty God never changing his divine eternal nature from REMAINING in NATURE as being divine eternal nature as he creates all things out from himself to take on a DIFFERENT NATURE is found nowhere in Scripture. This is why the belief that creation is made out of the eternal divine Spirit, who does NOT RETAIN or keep the divine eternal NATURE when he BECOMES the images he has within himself to be manifested into the SEEN world as his creation, is NOT simply some fantasy of impossibility. YES, I fully realize that Pantheism is false because it is defined as God becoming a tree, as in, a tree IS God's being IDENTICAL in NATURE to be divine. However, just because a tree was formed or created out of God the eternal Spirit does NOT mean that a tree created by God out from the eternal Spirit means that a tree RETAINS the eternal DIVINE NATURE of God. Jesus was not eternal during the DAYS of his FLESH because Jesus died on the cross. God is NOT a man and neither is God the Son of Man. However, Jesus was a mortal human man and the Son of man. Almighty God has always possessed the divine nature of immortality within Himself and was never GIVEN divine eternal nature. But Jesus himself was indeed GIVEN the DIVINE NATURE of IMMORTALITY only AFTER he became obedient to his God and Father to suffer and die on the cross for the sins of the whole world. It was the HUMAN Son of God who died for our sins so that whosoever BELIEVES that Jesus is the CHRIST, the SON OF the living God might have eternal life in the world to come. HOW DOES GOD CREATE ALL THINGS?
Well, we have already seen from Hebrews 11:3 that what God SPEAKS is formed out of what is INVISIBLE or not seen as the KJV says.
Here is Hebrews 11:3 from the Holman Christian Bible.
“By faith, we understand that the universe was created by the word of God so that what is seen has been made from things that are NOT VISIBLE”
And we have already seen from 1 Timothy 6:12-16 that the ONLY Almighty God the Father who has always been immortal is INVISIBLE and can NOT be SEEN. And we know from John 1:14 that the “word” the logos of Almighty God spoken out of the mouth of God BECAME FLESH, or MADE flesh, or made into flesh, or made to become flesh. In other words, the “WORD” did not pre-exist as human mortal FLESH, but rather the word BECAME FLESH or was MADE into FLESH or made to become FLESH. Keep in mind that the Bible ITSELF does NOT say that the Word became flesh and REMAINED the fully divine eternal nature or substance of God. Rather the clear, plain, and simple word of truth states in simplicity that the word MADE FLESH. Please read John 1:14.
“And the Word was MADE 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.”
Is the “WORD” of Almighty God NOTHING?
Or is the “WORD” of Almighty God SOMETHING?
Did the FLESH of Jesus come into existence out of NOTHING?
Or did the FLESH of Jesus come into existence out of SOMETHING?
Did the “WORD” ITSELF make flesh out of NOTHING?
Or was the SPOKEN word of PROPHECY fulfilled to be made FLESH BY Yahweh Himself who PERFORMS His own spoken word that came forth OUT FROM His MOUTH?
What does the Bible ITSELF say? It says that the “WORD” was made FLESH. So then, to ME, the FLESH of Jesus was made FROM or OUT OF the WORD which is SOMETHING that pre-existed or already existed BEFORE creation. And the word spoken out from God's mouth is what the Bible itself calls SPIRIT. So to me, that something that pre-existed is Yahweh’s spoken word of PROPHECY. Please notice the ORDER of the events in which they are PROPHESIED and notice the ORDER of the prophesied events as to how they were FULFILLED and will yet be fulfilled.
Please read Isaiah 9:6,7.
“For (Order of event #1 that has already been FULFILLED) unto us, a CHILD is BORN, (THEN comes Order of event #2 that has also already been FULFILLED) unto us a son is given: and (And THEN Order of event #3 is YET FUTURE and it is YET TO BE FULFILLED) the government shall be upon his shoulder: and (And THEN will come Order of event #4 is YET FUTURE and it is YET TO BE FULFILLED WHEN the government will be set upon the shoulder of Jesus IN the world to come) his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. 7. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.”
So then again, WHAT IS the WORD of Almighty God? Jesus himself tells us what the words of Almighty God ARE, so therefore, there is no need to speculate.
Please read John 6:63.
“It is the SPIRIT that quickens; the flesh profits nothing: the WORDS that I speak unto you, THEY ARE SPIRIT, and THEY ARE LIFE.”
So then, the SPOKEN WORD that came forth OUT FROM God was made FLESH is teaching us that the SPIRIT is MADE FLESH. And SPIRIT is something and not NOTHING. God IS SPIRIT. So then, the spoken word out from the mouth of the Almighty God, the eternal SPIRIT, who has always existed is what was MADE to BECOME FLESH. Now, IF SO BE, that the IDENTICAL or SAME divine eternal nature of Almighty God was RETAINED when Spirit or the word, which IS Spirit who became FLESH, then, to ME, that would be the very meaning of PANTHEISM, which is defined as creation having the IDENTICAL nature of DIVINITY. However, we know from other passages of Scripture that the WORDS Jesus spoke were not his OWN words. But rather, all the words that Jesus spoke were the words of Almighty God the Father that were given to him by the Father to speak.
Please read John 14:24.
“He that loves me not keeps not my sayings: (Or he that loves me will keep the WORDS that I speak) and the WORD which you hear is NOT MINE, but the Father's which sent me.”
Here we see that the words Jesus spoke were NOT his OWN words, but rather, they were the words of Almighty God the Father, who dwelt in Jesus.
Now please read John 14:10.
“Believe you not that I am in the Father and the Father in me? The WORDS that I speak unto you I speak NOT of myself: but the Father that dwells IN me, HE does the works.”
So then, when Jesus spoke the Father's words to the lame saying rise and walk, it was not Jesus himself doing the works of healing, but rather, it was the FATHER dwelling IN Jesus who was the one who was actually DOING the works of healing. Jesus teaches us that OF HIMSELF he could do NOTHING and that it was Almighty God the FATHER himself doing the works.
Please read John 5:19,20.
“Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do NOTHING OF HIMSELF, but what he sees the Father: (In a vision or dream or in his written word) for what things soever he does, these also do the Son likewise. 20. For the Father loves the Son and shows him all things that HIMSELF does: and He will show him greater works than these, that you may marvel.”
So then, when Jesus SPOKE the words of Almighty God the Father, then the Father dwelling IN the Son Jesus DID the WORKS. When Jesus spoke the WORDS, Lazarus, come forth, it was Almighty God the Father dwelling IN Jesus who actually QUICKENED or made alive Lazarus. Jesus said the FLESH speaking of himself as well as speaking of us profits nothing, but it is the spoken WORDS of Almighty God the Father who performs his spoken word. Jesus went on to say that the WORDS he spoke are SPIRIT and that it is SPIRIT which quickens, makes alive, or gives life. Then we read the words of Jesus in John 4:24 teaching us that God IS SPIRIT.
John 4:23,24.
“But the hour comes, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeks such to worship him. 24. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.”
And we read in John 1:1 that the WORD was God. Let us now read John 1:1,14 together with God himself being SPIRIT and his spoken WORDS being SPIRIT.
John 1:1,14.
“1. In the beginning, was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God... ...14. And the Word was made 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.”
Now since the Bible ITSELF teaches us that God himself is SPIRIT and his spoken WORDS are SPIRIT and the WORD was made to become FLESH, then to ME, the Bible ITSELF teaches us that SPIRIT himself literally and actually BECAME FLESH. The Bible itself does NOT say that NOTHING became flesh. It says the WORD became flesh and that the words of God ARE SPIRIT and that God IS SPIRIT. So the greater evidence in the Bible itself, to ME, teaches us that God created, made, formed all things in creation out from Himself. In other words, the Bible ITSELF does NOT teach us that God made all things out of NOTHING as some Christians teach. But rather the Bible itself teaches us that the flesh of Jesus was made out of SPIRIT, the spoken WORD of Almighty God that was WITHIN the God in the beginning where the word WAS God while it was WITHIN the God. But AFTER God SPOKE His own living word OUT FROM within himself to come OUT FROM his mouth, then that living spoken word OUT FROM God's mouth called quickening SPIRIT BECAME FLESH, as in, fully flesh having no divine eternal nature. For you see, Philippians 2:5-11 teaches us that the word stripped himself or more precisely the logos was stripped of all ITS divine nature to take on human nature as God FORMED His THOUGHTS before God actually spoke forth His word of PROPHECY that became flesh. In other words, it was during the process of God FORMING His thoughts in His mind that God decided for His Messiah to be fully Human and void of any divine nature or divine power of his own. That is how the word was STRIPPED of ITS divine nature. That is how God brought forth His Son into existence at the virgin birth. The spoken word of God did NOT REMAIN the DIVINE immortal Spirit, but rather, the eternal divine Spirit BECAME FLESH just like the Bible itself says. To say this another way, the eternal divine Spirit SPEAKS to create. And that SPOKEN word of god is called His living WORD that was indeed in the FORM and the very NATURE of God while being WITHIN the ONE BEING of Almighty God. So then, itis what God SPOKE OUT FROM Himself that BECAME FLESH after the word was spoken out of the mouth of the living God. Philippians 2:5-11 teaches us that the word or SPIRIT or the FORM of God WITHIN Himself as the IMAGE in God’s mind was stripped of all his divine nature in order to take on the NATURE of FLESH. In other words, as Yahweh was forming the IMAGE of what He desired His Messiah to be like, Yahweh stripped the divine nature from the image in His mind before He PROPHESIED that image to come into existence at the virgin birth. Please read Philippians 2:5-11 from several different translations to see that Almighty God HIMSELF through His SPOKEN word of PROPHECY BECAME, as in, TRULY BECAME a HUMAN being, the Son of MAN void of any DIVINE NATURE, as in, God manifested Himself by speaking forth His word OUT FROM Himself to become flesh. Even though God's word is Spirit that does NOT mean that what God MANIFESTED is divine nature. God MANIFESTED everything that exists and we do not say that everything that exists had divine nature. Now as you read these different translations please take notice that in every single one of these translations there is in some manner a statement that says that the FORM of God stripped himself, laid aside, gave up, or emptied himself as opposed to saying that IT was stripped or the form was stripped of any advantage. We will cover this ONE point first of the FORM of God EMPTYING HIMSELF of His divine nature to take on human nature, and then we will come BACK to that last part of the last phrase of verse 6 and examine it more closely. Here is Philippians 2:5-11 from the Complete Jerusalem Bible.
“Let your attitude toward one another be governed by your being in union with the Messiah Yeshua: 6. Though he was in the FORM of God, he did not regard equality with God as something to be possessed by force. 7. On the CONTRARY, he EMPTIED himself, (So then, HE, speaking of whatever FORM Jesus was IN before the word became flesh that that FORM of God emptied himself of the previous pre-existing divine eternal FORM of God) in that HE (The now EMPTIED FORM of God) took the FORM of a slave by becoming like human beings ARE. (Human beings are not divine eternal beings having the same divine NATURE of Almighty God the Father and human nature at the same time. The word BECAME FLESH AS human beings ARE) And when he (The Spirit, the living WORD made FLESH) appeared as a HUMAN BEING, 8. He humbled himself still more by becoming obedient even to death - death on a stake as a criminal! 9. Therefore, (Or for this very reason of the Son of God becoming OBEDIENT unto death and OVERCOMING the temptations of the enemy) God raised him to the highest place and gave him the name above every name; 10. That in honor of the name given Yeshua, every knee will bow - in heaven, on earth, and under the earth. 11. And every tongue will acknowledge that Yeshua the Messiah is ADONAI - to the glory of God the Father.”
Here is Philippians 2:5-11 from the Holman Christian Standard.
“Make your own attitude that of Christ Jesus, 6. who, existing in the FORM of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be used for His own advantage. 7. INSTEAD, He EMPTIED Himself by assuming the form of a slave, taking on the likeness of men. And when He had COME as a MAN in His external form, (Almighty God the FATHER DWELT IN His human Son Jesus in his INNER man. But that did not make Jesus to BE Almighty God Himself any more than the eternal Spirit dwelling IN us makes us be Almighty God in the flesh. Some translators are getting a glimpse of the truth but yet some parts of their translation, to me, still yet reflect some of their bias where they do not seem to be willing to commit to the whole truth that “IT was EMPTIED of ITS divine nature”. You see, the phrase “He emptied Himself” actually refers to the HE as being the eternal Spirit who stripped the IMAGE that He formed in His mind of any divine nature and then the spoken word out from God became FULLY FLESH void of ANY divine nature. The translation reading HE emptied HIMSELF of ALL his DIVINE NATURE to come as a MAN should be read as IT was emptied of ITS form of God to be made in a complete HUMAN form rather than just an external form only as some Oneness Christians claim. In other words, some Oneness Pentecostal Christians teach that Yahweh created Himself a BODY ONLY for Himself to dwell in. But the Bible itself clearly teaches us that Jesus had his OWN spirit and soul and his OWN will which teaches us that Jesus was a SEPARATE being or person from Almighty God who is the God and Father OF Jesus. So AFTER the eternal Spirit spoke the living word called Spirit, the spoken word of PROPHESY states as a fact that Jesus will be CALLED God in the world yet to come and NOT at his virgin birth. It was AFTER the cross that the human Jesus was HIGHLY EXALTED and given a NEW name above every other name. To say this another way, the living word was stripped of ITS divine nature and the living word called Spirit took on HUMAN NATURE to become a MAN or the Son of MAN during the days of his FLESH. And then the HUMAN Jesus became obedient unto death on the cross for us) 8. He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death-even to death on a cross. 9. For this reason, God also HIGHLY EXALTED Him and gave Him the name that is above every name, 10. so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow- of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth- 11. and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, TO the glory of God the Father.”
Again, we see that the FORM of God, that Jesus preexisted as being Yahweh himself as an IMAGE within Yahweh, has now EMPTIED HIMSELF of that FORM of divine nature to take on human form or human nature. To say this another way to simplify things, it was Yahweh the creator, who FORMS images in His mind within Himself before He SPEAKS those images forth into existence, that stripped the FORM of His yet coming into existence Messiah to not have any divine nature POWER of his own. But rather, God chose for his living word to become FLESH without any divine nature to be like all humans are.
Here is Philippians 2:5-11 from the New Revised Standard Translation.
“Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, 6. who, though he was in the FORM of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, 7. BUT EMPTIED himself, taking the form of a slave, being BORN in human likeness. And BEING found in HUMAN FORM, 8. he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death— even death on a cross. 9. THEREFORE, (Or for this very REASON of the human Jesus obey the will of hos God and Father) God also HIGHLY EXALTED him and gave him the name that is above every name, 10. So that at the name of Jesus (Speaking of Jesus' NEW name AFTER the cross) every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, (Speaking of in the world to come during the Millennial reign of Jesus) 11. And every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
This translation again says that he EMPTIED himself being found in HUMAN form and NOT in the form of having TWO natures, one divine, and one human.
Here is Philippians 2:5-11 from the Message Bible.
“Think of yourselves the WAY Christ Jesus thought of himself. (Jesus knew that he came out from God by the spoken word of God. Jesus knew he was the Messiah yet he HUMBLED himself.) 6. He had equal status with God but didn't think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what. (Again, some translators have seen some truth but yet hold to their biased belief that Jesus pre-existed as a separate person who was with God at his SIDE having equal status with God who then came down from heaven himself to become flesh. But even if this were true this passage of Scripture still teaches us that he did NOT even think to CLING to his divine status and that he stripped himself of all his divine nature and sat aside his DEITY to BECOME HUMAN. The word BECAME FLESH. And even after the cross which is when Jesus was GIVEN all power and authority he did not even think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of staus no matter what. Jesus still refers to himself as the Son of MAN even at his second coming in power and glory) 7. Not at all. When the time came, he SET ASIDE the privileges of DEITY and took on the status of a slave, BECAME HUMAN! 8. Having BECOME HUMAN, he stayed human. It was an incredibly humbling process. He didn't claim special privileges. Instead, he lived a selfless, obedient life and then died a selfless, obedient death - and the worst kind of death at that: a crucifixion. 9. Because of that obedience, God lifted him high and honored him far beyond anyone or anything, ever, 10. So that all created beings in heaven and on earth - even those long ago dead and buried - will bow in worship before this Jesus Christ, 11. And call out in praise that he is the Master of all, to the glorious honor of God the Father.”
Here is Philippians 2:5-11 from the Weymouth New Testament.
“Let the SAME disposition be in YOU which was in Christ Jesus. 6. Although from the beginning He HAD the nature of God He did not reckon His equality with God a treasure to be tightly grasped. 7. NAY, He STRIPPED Himself of His glory and took on Him the nature of a bondservant by BECOMING a MAN like other men. 8. And being recognized as TRULY HUMAN, He humbled Himself and even stooped to die; yes, to die on a cross. 9. It is in consequence of this that God has also so highly exalted Him, and has conferred on Him the Name which is supreme above every other, 10. in order that in the Name of JESUS every knee should bow, of beings in Heaven, of those on the earth, and of those in the underworld, 11. and that every tongue should confess that JESUS CHRIST is LORD, to the glory of God the Father.”
Here is Philippians 2:5-11 from Today's English version.
“The attitude you should have is the one Christ Jesus had. 6. He always had the very nature of God, but he did not think that by force he should try to become equal with God. 7. Instead of his very own free will, he gave it ALL UP, (The Living Spirit word of prophecy GAVE UP the VERY NATURE of God) and took the nature of a servant, He became like man, and appeared in human likeness. 8. He was humble and walked the path of obedience to death---his death on the cross. 9. For this reason, God raised him to the highest place above and gave him the name that is greater than any other name. 10. And so, to honor of the name of Jesus, all beings in heaven, on earth, and in the world below will fall on their knees, 11. and all will openly proclaim that Jesus Christ is the Lord to the glory of God the Father.”
Here is Philippians 2:6,7 from the Living Bible.
“Who though he was God, did not demand to cling to his rights as God, 7. But LAID ASIDE his mighty power and glory taking the disguise as a slave and becoming like men.”
Here is Philippians 2:6,7 from Phillips Modern English.
“For he, who has always been God by NATURE, did not cling to his privileges as God's equal. 7. but he STRIPPED HIMSELF of every advantage by consenting to become a slave by NATURE, and being born a MAN.”
Here is Philippians 2:6,7 from the Jerusalem Bible.
“His state was DIVINE, yet he did not cling to his equality with God. 7. But he EMPTIED to assume the condition of a slave, and became as men are; and being found as all men are.”
So then, all of these translations clearly teach us that BEFORE Jesus became Jesus. Or more precisely before the living spoken word of PROPHECY which is SPIRIT became FLESH and was given the NAME Jesus. His STATE, (The state of the eternal SPIRIT who formed Jesus in the womb of a woman) was DIVINE, BUT he EMPTIED HIMSELF. His FORM was God BUT EMPTIED himself taking the form of a slave, being BORN in human likeness. And BEING found in HUMAN FORM he humbled himself. He was God by NATURE, BUT he STRIPPED HIMSELF from every advantage. He was God, BUT he LAID ASIDE his mighty power and glory. He had the very NATURE of God, but he GAVE IT ALL UP. He had the NATURE of God, but he STRIPPED himself of his glory. He had equal status with God, but he SET ASIDE the privileges of DEITY and took on the status of a slave, BECAME HUMAN!
Now, if so be, that one interprets the Word to be a separate person, who was WITH God AT his SIDE by ignoring all the verses that clearly teach us that the word or the LOGOS of God is the SPOKEN word of God, as in, the SAYING of God coming out of the mouth of God, then the Word STILL CHANGED his FORM of having divine nature to BECOME or to be MADE into a HUMAN NATURE as all humans ARE. And we do not have two natures at the same time, one divine and one human but we will be made partakers of the DIVINE NATURE at the coming of Jesus to be like Jesus is NOW after the cross, according to 2 Peter 1:4. This is what the CONTEXT of Philippians 2:5-11 clearly teaches us and it does NOT teach us that Jesus pre-existed as a SEPARATE DISTINCT Spirit being named the Word who was WITH the God AT his SIDE. NOR does it teach that Jesus pre-existed as God's eternal divine Son called God the Son, the second person of the Trinity. But rather it teaches us that the only way in which Jesus could have pre-existed was as SPIRIT, the LIVING WORD that was WITHIN the God being a part of the ONE and self-same BEING of Almighty God, who IS the ONE eternal INVISIBLE Spirit.
Please read 1 John 5:5-7.
“Who is he that overcomes the world, but he that believes that Jesus is the SON OF God? 6. This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that bears witness because the Spirit is truth. 7. For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are ONE.”
In other words, there are three parts or three workings, or three components making up the one BEING of the ONE God and NOT three separate distinct persons within the one God. Now some Christians argue that verse 7 was added to the text. Please see the study “1 JOHN 5:7 THESE THREE ARE ONE!”. This is really the only verse that specifically states that there are THREE PERSONS. Now, what I myself am saying is that Almighty God is made up of three components rather than three persons, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit. I myself see that the whole word of God speaks of TWO persons rather than THREE persons. I myself see that the Spirit IS the Father. Please see the study “WHY THE HOLY SPIRIT IS THE FATHER!”. Now to me, the spoken word of God is NOT a SEPARATE PERSON who was with God at his side called Word. I do not see a so-called God the Son in eternity past being taught in the Bible. I do NOT see the ONE eternal Spirit as being a SEPARATE PERSON who was with Almighty God at his side called God the Spirit, the second person of a Godhead Trinity God. Almighty God is THE ONE ETERNAL DIVINE SPIRIT. The Father is the HOLY Spirit and his spoken word is called SPIRIT. The Bible says that God IS SPIRIT and there is only ONE SPIRIT. Thus to ME, the word called SPIRIT is NOT a separate person within the one God, but rather, the word IS God as being a PART of the self-same being as Almighty God who is SPIRIT. The word is LIVING and is called SPIRIT. It is the SPIRIT who quickens and makes alive. God's seen or visible power is the MANIFESTATION of the ONE SPIRIT. So then, at the appointed time, the WORD, which is SPIRIT, which is GOD's spoken word of PROPHECY that came forth OUT FROM God was made to BECOME FLESH who is NOW, after Jesus was brought into existence, a SEPARATE person from the ONE true and ONLY ALMIGHTY God, who is always clearly identified as being the Father. Jesus is NOT the Father. But BEFORE the virgin birth of Jesus there was NO separate divine eternal being named the Word who was with God at His side in the eternity past. And during the days of his FLESH, the SON OF the ONE true God was brought into existence BY the ONE ETERNAL Spirit through the spoken LIVING word that came forth OUT FROM God and became flesh. But the FORM of the living word that was WITHIN Almighty God was of divine nature by being a very part of God Himself. But as God was FORMING the IMGAE of what He desired His Messiah to be God stripped that IMAGE in Himself of all His divine nature of immortality to take on the NATURE of mortal flesh to BECOME a separate person from HIMSELF. Almighty God the Father, is clearly identified in the Bible itself as being the God OF the SON OF God. And the SON OF God is never identified as Almighty God Himself. Please see the study “IS JESUS ALMIGHTY GOD?” which explains the errors of interpretation of verses like Revelation 1:8 where it SEEMS to be Jesus himself saying that he is the Almighty. Now one of the things that may confuse some Christians is the TERM “God”. The Bible teaches us that THE ONE true and only ALMIGHTY God is the God OF all other Gods. So then, the TERM “God” does not ALWAYS speak of ONE TRUE and ONLY Almighty God who alone is the Father which is the eternal Spirit. The Bible uses the article “THE” saying THE God to distinguish the ONE TRUE God from all the other Gods. Please read the studies “OUR GOD IS ONE!” and “THERE IS BUT ONE GOD!” for a deeper understanding of this subject. But for now, here is another way to think of the TERM “God”. At least try and see that Almighty God the FATHER is the HIGHEST “AUTHORITY” who has appointed or has GIVEN authority to others to rule in His kingdom as Gods or AUTHORITIES under Himself. In other words, think of the meaning of the TERM “God” as meaning AUTHORITY. And then see that the HIGHEST authority which is the FATHER ALONE is the ONLY authority that is the SOURCE of all creation. And Yahweh Himself appointed or set up some that He created to be RULERS or MIGHTY ones which is what the Hebrew word Elohim means but it is mostly translated as God. And Elohim said let us make man in our image. The angels are also Elohims who were appointed as Elohim by Almighty God. So then, AFTER the cross, Almighty God the Father highly exalted his Son Jesus to BECOME the highest authority there is to be, but yet his Son Jesus is NOT above his God and Father, who ALONE is THE God where the TERM “THE God” is speaking of the HIGHEST AUTHORITY over all other Gods or authorities. So again, I myself only see that the Bible ITSELF speaks of TWO rather than THREE. The FATHER is number ONE and his Son is number TWO. The Father has always existed and the Son was brought into existence by the Father through his very own spoken word, which is SPIRIT. All Christians will agree that the Old Testament Scriptures spoke or prophesied of the two comings of Jesus. I believe that Jesus read and studied the Scripture and learned by the Father dwelling in him that the Scriptures spoke of HIM as being the prophesied one to come.
Please read John 5:37-40.
“And the Father Himself, which has sent me, has borne witness of me. You have neither heard his voice at any time nor seen His shape. (Or the perception of Him you have not seen or have not understood His shape) 38. And you have not His word abiding in you: for whom He has sent, him you believe not. 39. Search the Scriptures; for in them you THINK you have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. (In other words, NO ONE receives eternal life in the world to come without BELIEVING that Jesus is the CHRIST, the SON OF the living God and that Jesus suffered and died on the cross for THEIR sins and not only for their sins but also for the sins of the WHOLE world so the WHOSEVER believes in Jesus might have eternal life in the world to come.) 40. And you (Speaking of the Jews that are now Muslims who are Jews through the seed of Ishmael but are not of the seed of promise) will not come to me, that you might have life.”
Jesus heard the voice of Almighty God the Father dwelling in him and he knew that the Scriptures spoke of HIM. Jesus knew the prophecies that spoke of him being born of a virgin. And to me, there is no doubt that Jesus knew the story of how the angel Gabriel came down from heaven and spoke God's WORDS to his mother and how his mother believed the words of God saying be it done unto me according to your WORDS. Jesus knew that he was CONCEIVED in the womb of his mother BY the spoken WORD of Almighty God. And this is why I myself believe that Jesus taught us that he CAME FORTH OUT FROM God.
Please read John 16:24-28.
“Hitherto have you asked nothing in my name: ask, and you shall receive, that your joy may be full. 25. These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs: but the time comes, when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs, but I shall show you plainly of the Father. 26. At that day you shall ask in my name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray to the Father for you: 27. For the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me, and (BECAUSE you) have believed that I CAME OUT FROM God. 28. I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father.”
When you put all the word of God together it becomes clear that the SPOKEN WORD of God came down from heaven and into the world and that living word or SPIRIT became flesh by stripping himself of all his divine nature of immortality to take on human mortal flesh to suffer and died for the sins of the world so that whosoever believes in the SON OF the living God might have eternal life. The eternal God did NOT die on the cross, but rather the SON OF Almighty God the Father died upon the cross being obedient to HIS God and Father. The whole context of John 16 verse 27 begins at the end of John chapter 13 where Jesus tells his disciples that they are not able to follow him and Peter said that he would follow Jesus to the death. But Jesus responds to Peter's THINKING that he was able to lay down his life for Jesus saying that Peter would deny Jesus three times before the cock crowed. The next three chapters of John 14,15, and 16 is about the Holy Spirit, Almighty God the Father himself, coming to DWELL IN US as believers. Please read the study “THE POWER AND THE AUTHORITY OF THE BELIEVER!” for a deeper understanding that our mansion Jesus went to prepare is not some mansion up in heaven, but rather the abiding place in God and God abiding in us. This presence of Almighty God the Father himself dwelling in us as he dwelt in his Son Jesus bears witness to our spirit or inner man that we have eternal life dwelling in us so that we will CONTINUE in our faith in Jesus unto the end even to the laying down of our lives if God calls us to face that ultimate test. The Holy Spirit IS the FATHER who IS Spirit. Again please read the study “THE HOLY SPIRIT IS THE FATHER!” for all the verses, but for now, the Bible itself teaches us that God IS Spirit and that there is just ONE Spirit.
Please read 1 Corinthians 12:7-13.
“But the manifestation OF the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. 8. For to one is given BY the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; 9. To another faith BY the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing BY the same Spirit; 10. To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kind of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: 11. But all these (Speaking of all the nine different manifestations are the) WORKS that ONE and the SELFSAME Spirit,(That He does by) dividing to every man severally as HE WILL. (Meaning that the Holy Spirit does not jump out of one believer and jump into another believer, but rather, the ONE Spirit DIVIDING Himself to be dwelling in ALL believers at the same time and WORKING differently in each believer as HE WILLS.) 12. For as the body is one, and has many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ (The ANOINTING dwelling IN us. Yes, the word “CHRIST” is used at times as an abbreviation, so to speak, referring to Jesus, the Son of God being the ANOINTED of God, which means that the ONE eternal Spirit, who is the Father, DWELT IN Jesus and now dwells IN US the many members of the body of Jesus the CHRIST, the ANOINTED of God. But I myself believe that the word CHRIST in this context is ALSO speaking of the Holy Spirit being DIVIDED into many MEMBERS so he could DWELL in each and every member of the body of Jesus Christ). 13. For by ONE Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into ONE Spirit.”
There are many verses that clearly teach us that the ONE Spirit is the ONE eternal INVISIBLE God clearly identified as being the FATHER who is the SOURCE of all life and creation. See the study linked above called the Holy Spirit is the Father for all the verses that clearly teach us that the Holy Spirit is indeed a PERSON. However, according to the WHOLE word of Almighty God, the Holy Spirit is NOT a THIRD separate distinct person of a so-called Trinity God that teaches that the Holy Spirit is NOT the FATHER. I AGREE that the Bible ITSELF clearly teaches us that Jesus is NOT the FATHER, but at the same time, I myself do NOT see that the Bible itself teaches us that God is a Trinity God made upon of three distinct persons where all three separate distinct persons have always existed without beginning. Please read the study “WHEN DID JESUS BECOME GOD'S ETERNAL SON?”. But for now, when we read and study the word of God closely, it can be seen and understood that Yahweh HIMSELF BECOMES his creation. But this does NOT mean that all creation IS God. Rather it simply means that all creation came out from God as opposed to God creating all things out of NOTHING. Remember that Philippians 2:6-8 teaches us that the word, the saying of God, which is SPIRIT was stripped of all its divine nature to take on human nature. The word BECAME flesh. The word was God. But then the word or SPIRIT stripped himself of all its divine nature to be MADE flesh. Also, keep in mind that this is only ONE interpretation of Philippians 2:6-8. Another interpretation is that Jesus came to be in the form of god AFTER the cross which also agrees with every verse in the Bible. Please read the study “PHILIPPIANS 2:6-8 PROVES JESUS PRE-EXITED!” In that study, I use the other meanings of the Greek word to show that the context is speaking of AFTER the cross and not the eternity past that Jesus was in the form of God. In other words, Jesus was NOT a SEPARATE person from Almighty God the Father until Jesus was brought INTO EXISTENCE by the spoken WORD of Almighty God which BECAME flesh. And then that FLESH or the human being called the Son of MAN was given the name Jesus. Again, please see the study above and the three-part study “WHEN DID JESUS BECOME GOD'S ETERNAL SON?” for a deeper understanding that Jesus did not BECOME the eternal SON OF God until AFTER the CROSS when Almighty God the Father GAVE the Son of MAN the right to partake of the divine nature of immortality to be having the same immortal life that the Father has always possessed in Himself.
When we read a LITERAL translation of Exodus 3:14 Yahweh is speaking in the first person singular.
Here is the LITERAL translation of Exodus 3:14.
“I am SHALL BECOME who (Or what) I am BECOMING”
This is another verse of Scripture as to why I believe that Yahweh created all things OUT FROM Himself as opposed to God creating all things out of nothing. God's spoken word is SOMETHING called Spirit and nothing is NOT anything. So I myself believe this is a hidden prophecy speaking of Yahweh, who is SPIRIT and whose spoken word of PROPHECY is Spirit literally became FLESH. It is Yahweh who FORMED Jesus in the womb of a woman through His spoken living Spirit word. And IF you use certain translations of the Bible then the living word was STRIPPED of ITS divine eternal nature to take on HUMAN NATURE just as the REST of God's word teaches us. And I believe that in the same way that Almighty God MANIFESTED A God in FLESH through His spoken living Spirit word of PROPHECY. Please see the study “WHAT DOES 1 TIMOTHY 3:16 TRULY MEAN?”
In other words, Exodus 3:14 could also read.
“I (Yahweh) am SHALL BECOME who (Or WHAT) I (Yahweh) am BECOMING”
And the reason I say that everything that existed came OUT FROM Yahweh as opposed to being created from NOTHING is that the creation account in Genesis AGREES with Yahweh HIMSELF becoming what he speaks OUT FROM Himself. In other words, SPIRIT becomes creation, as in, everything is made out of Spirit BY God speaking words out from His mouth. Jesus said that Yahweh's words are Spirit, according to John 6:63. Please read Genesis 1:1-3 from the LITERAL translation.
“In the beginning Elohim, he created the heavens and the earth. 2. And the earth she BECAME chaos and vacancy and darkness over surfaces of the abyss, and Spirit of Elohim VIBRATING over surfaces of the waters, (In other words, God did NOT create the earth void and without form, but rather SOMETHING CAUSED the earth to BECOME void, chaos, and vacant of life. Many Christians believe that a WAR between Lucifer and his fallen angels rebelling against God to take over his throne is what caused the earth to become void and without form. Please read the study “UNDERSTANDING WHY?” and all the studies under the heading >>>WHY ARE WE HERE?-IS GOD AT WAR?<<< for a deeper understanding of the “gap” theory between Genesis 1:1 and Genesis 1:2 and also WHY God ALLOWS evil in this present world) 3. And HE is saying Elohim (Or Elohim He is saying that) HE SHALL BECOME light and HE IS BECOMING light.”
So then, to ME, whatever God, who is Spirit, creates, He first forms an IMAGE WITHIN HIMSELF of what he desires to BE. And then He SPEAKS forth His living word OUT FROM within Himself and the living word which is Spirit QUICKENS, makes alive, and becomes that IMAGE of that spoken word fo prophecy. Thin of the image within God as His design or as the blueprint of what Yahweh desires to bring forth into existence. But just because Yahweh BECOMES what He creates, as in, everything is created OUT OF or out from Yahweh who is Spirit does NOT mean that Jesus had divine nature DURING the days of his FLESH from the Virgin birth all the way to the CROSS. It was only AFTER the cross that Yahweh GAVE the Son of MAN, Jesus, the DIVINE NATURE of IMMORTALITY to be having in himself even as the Father has ALWAYS possessed the divine nature of immortality in Himself as the SOURCE of all life, both mortal and immortal. Now if it is easier for YOU to believe that God creates all things out of NOTHING, then I am fine with that. But for many Christians, it is far easier for us to understand and comprehend that God creates all things out from Himself which is the INVISIBLE SPIRIT, who alone has always existed without any beginning have always been IMMORTAL. And the one true God who IS SPIRIT is clearly identified as being the FATHER. And also many of us are seeing that the GREATER EVIDENCE from the Bible ITSELF points more to God creating all things out from Himself as opposed to God creating all things out of nothing. The word manifestation, as in, the manifestation OF the Spirit, means an ACT or work that is done in order to SHOW or to reveal something. And Biblically speaking, the manifestation OF the Spirit is the Almighty God Himself who is Spirit REVEALING Himself through His WORKS OF Spirit. Jesus said that the FATHER dwelling IN him did the WORKS. And we ALSO see from Acts 10:38 how Almighty God the Father ANOINTED his Son Jesus to EMPOWER him to do the works men saw him do because God Himself was WITH him.
Acts 10:38.
“How God ANOINTED Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was WITH him.”
And the Bible teaches us that God was WITH His Son Jesus by DWELLING IN His Son Jesus which is why Jesus is called Emmanuel meaning God with us. We have already seen that Jesus said it was the FATHER IN him who did the works. And Colossians 2:9 teaches us that the fulness of the Godhead DWELT IN the body of the flesh of Jesus. I personally believe that this verse is referring to the GLORIFIED highly exalted Son of MAN, Jesus, AFTER the cross.
Colossians 2:9.
“For IN HIM DWELLS all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.”
So I myself personally believe that Almighty God Himself became FLESH OUT FROM Himself but did NOT REMAIN fully the divine eternal Almighty God as some teach. It was later at the baptism of Jesus that Yahweh Himself came and DWELT IN His HUMAN Son Jesus to EMPOWER Jesus to overcome sin and do the mighty works that men saw Jesus doing through the eternal Spirit. I believe Jesus had only ONE nature during the days of his FLESH and that nature was HUMAN nature. I believe that it was only AFTER the cross that Almighty God the Father highly exalted the Son of MAN to become a partaker of the DIVINE NATURE of immortality to be having the same eternal life in himself as the Father, the eternal Spirit, has always possessed in Himself being the SOURCE of all life and creation. In other words, the FULNESS of Yahweh, the Godhead, did not dwell in Jesus until AFTER the cross. The following list of studies found or listed in this study called “WHO IS JESUS, ACCORDING TO THE BIBLE?” will give you all the verses that will show those who are seeking the truth of the whole word of Almighty God that while Jesus came out from God, Jesus is NOT Almighty God Himself. Rather, the one true and only Almighty God the Father DWELT IN His SON Jesus during the days of his FLESH and now dwells IN us or dwells in our FLESH as believers in Jesus to empower us to do the same works Jesus did through the eternal Spirit dwelling in him. Thanks for reading and may God bless you richly as you continue to seek the truth of the whole word of God.
Your brother in our Lord Jesus Christ, Brother Mark.
RETURN TO HOMEPAGE AT Here is a link that will give you links to all the studies that I have written on every verse of Scripture that I have been made aware of that are used to teach that Jesus pre-existed and to try and prove the doctrine of the Trinity. >>>VERSES USED TO TEACH THAT JESUS PRE-EXISTED!<<< Simply click on the link and then scroll down to find the verse of Scripture that you would like to study to learn its true sound Biblical meaning when it is correctly interpreted in the LIGHT of the WHOLE word of Almighty God. And then click on that link to read the study on that particular verse of Scripture. Thanks for reading and may God bless you richly as you continue seeking the truth of the whole word of God. Your brother in our Lord Jesus Christ, Brother Mark. RETURN TO HOMEPAGE AT
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