This section of posting is reserved for comments relating to The Revelation of Christ and Salvation. Please post accordingly.
24 comments:
Anonymous
said...
I have to admit, that I have not been able to fully comprehend Dr. Hanna's book. The class lectures and the discussion have been helpful. My main concern according to Dr. Hanna's model--this maybe due to ignorance on my part--is the "Cosmos." Even after evaluating the texts cited to prove his contention, I am not convinced neither from the book nor class. According to Dr. Hanna, with the info I have thus so far, I am being lead to the conclusion that the author believes that "Nature" is a revelation that can independently lead a soul to salvation.
Romans 1:20 does not seem convey that Nature is a self-evident source of salvation. Nature maybe a witness, to God's divine attributes but it is not a complete source to lead anyone to salvation. Furthermore, the context of Romans 1:19-20 apparently seems to be pointing back to creation, when a the divine attributes of God could be even more clearly seen, because of the absence of the Flood and the short reign of rebellion and sin. Similarly, Romans 1:20 does not appear to be saying that the Gospel was revealed to all men through nature, rather, the greatness of Nature appeals to the self-evident truth that there is a creator. In verse 25 this become apparent because the choice that the wicked make is not to serve the creator but a creature. In other words the revelation of God through creation, although not complete, was sufficient to prevent them from worshiping idols. Restated, mankind by being preceptive about truths in nature had enough light to avoid sin. This being said, it is apparent that this was not the only way God wanted to be revealed to them nor the primary way. The Gospel is the primary mode of revelation--spoken, written, and lived--to the world of God's character. Moreover, it is the primary means of judgmentl.
"And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all nations, and then the end will come" (Mt. 24:14)
(Paul explaining how the gentiles, who do not have the message, but live right are still judged by "his gospel")
"In the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel." (Rom 2:16)
"If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, he himself shall also drink the wine of the wrath of God.." (Rev. 14:9-10)
"The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth that they might be saved" (2nd Thess. 2:9-10)
It appears to me that the gospel--the revelation of Jesus Christ written, spoken, and lived--will be the litmus test for salvation. Therefore, the Gospel is to have primacy over nature and stands independently without need of nature's witness.
I hope I do not seem arrogant. I am just trying to reason with the little that I have learned.
One of the points which have come up in the discussion so far is the question as to whether natural revelation can independently lead a soul to salvation. This is not a claim that I am conscious of implying in my book.
Creation is not a self-evident revelation of God as Creator or as Savior. Apart from the leading of the Holy Spirit (Rom 8:14) we cannot receive the revelation of creation or the revelation of the Savior according to Scripture (1:1-5; 16:25-26). All people will be judged as saved or lost according to the gospel way of salvation (2:16).
At the same time, Paul writes about the gospel according to Scripture in relation to writing about the revelation of God in creation.
He transitions smoothly from a discussion of the power of the gospel for Jews and Gentiles (Rom 1:16) to a discussion of the power of God revealed in creation (1:20).
In that transition he mentions that God’s wrath is revealed against those who hold the truth in unrighteousness because God has manifest Himself in them and to them (1:18-19).
My position is that the revelation of Scripture and the revelation of nature are not in conflict with each other. Each sheds light on the other.
Part three of the Cosmic Christ of Scripture focuses on Christ. I have to admit this has been my favorite part of the book! Christ is lifted up that all who are willing may see that HE is the greatest revelation of the Character of God! For someone who is seeking to affirm their faith, this section provides a logical sequence of biblical evidence for the Divine-Human Christ and is confirmed by the writings of E. G. White. Such a Jesus is the Desire of my heart, one who is both completely human enough to reach me and entirely Divine to save me. Personally, along with the academic load and pressure to do well, above all I am in a quest for true spirituality. I try to see it in every faculty member and student of the Seminary, I seek to find a deeper meaning to life by contemplating in nature, searching the Scripture morning by morning, and every time I'm honest and humble enough I encounter the Divine-human Christ and what HE is able to do in my inner being. I already know I'm human, that's why I seek a deeper existance, my soul longs for a life much greater than this present nature. As Dr. Hanna wrote in page 82, "It is wonderful to note that Jesus restores human personhood by making it possible for us to become partakers with divine nature." What a blessed thought to have a divine and human relationship by being connected with Christ! This may not be considered an academic comment, but it's a testimony that a Cosmic Christ Connection is happenning in my life. I refuse to do theology without applying it to my life. I will continue to seek true spirituality and, praise God for theology, for through it He has revealed us where to find it.
I just completed my reading of Chapter 5, "Reading the Revelation of Divinity In Humanity: Will the Real Christ Stand Up?" We've been speaking a great deal about the Christ of Scripture during our class time with the intent to unearth His true essence. By that I mean, our goal has been to understand what it is we are to believe in terms of the person of Jesus Christ in terms of how He has revealed Himself within the Cosmos through His incarnation and Scripture. It seems that many of us are out of touch with the "real" Jesus because we seldom take time to find what He actually wanted to convey, rather than placing our own prejudices and presuppositions in a position higher than the Inspired text. The book suggests that this is made easier for us because false teachers and Christs abound. The only way we will ever be able to discern who God really is and what His will actually is for us, we must learn to put our presuppositions in a lesser position than that of unadulturated scripture, as given by God Himself. In scripture, we see a clear picture of Christ painted for our benefit. "Christ is the supreme revelation of divinity (p.68)." Because we limit our scope of Him, we are unable to take in all that God has intended to reveal through His self-revelation. Once we are open to allowing the Bible speak for itself, I believe we as Christians will discover myriads of things we were once simply to closed-minded to notice prior. 9/28/2006 5:56 PM
I always thought of the word cosmic as a separate entity to Christ. However, after I read some chapters corresponding to the subject matter, It seems of utmost importance that Christ is in the cosmic reconciliating the world to himself. If I were to give a title to this comment, I would entitled it "The cosmic recon-ciliation. The Cosmic of Christ sheds light on scripture as it is centered in the person of Christ. Through Christ, God performed an act of cosmic reconciliation and peacemaking. As it states in Colossians 1v16-19" For by Him were all things created, that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones or dominions, or principalities, or powers: ALL THINGS WERE CREATED BY HIM, AND FOR HIM ETC. The cosmic christology is expressed in terms of Christ's lordship which is the bridge which unites creation and redemption. This lordship expresses the continuity of God's sovereignty in the multiple forms of his works through creation and redemption. The originating goodness and wholeness of creation are restored through God's grace revealed in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus-Christ. Once our blessed Christ of beauty was veiled off from human view; but through suffering, and death, and sorrow he has rent the veil in two. The wonders of redeeming love. Our highest thought exceed; The son of God comes from above for sinful man to bleed. Jesus was a living parable of God's reign, an embodiement of a redeemed and reconciled creation. Christ at the cross inaugurated the age to come, the time of reconciliation and restauration of the cosmos. The reign of God which is and is to come. Scripture make manifest the coming of the kingdom, and can be understood properly if we realize throughout that Christ is its King and the entire creation its domain. The Cosmic of Christ shows how relevant it is to learn to read scripture in its entirety as a witness to the cosmic Christ. The issuethen becomes to lok at those creational realities through the scope of scripture, discerning the creational law revealed in experience in the light of the creational law revealed in the scriptures. And this is fitting as agents of Christ reconciliation in humanity where the reality of sin and the necessity of salvation are as real as anywhere else in God's creation. The reconciliation of all things is the fulfillment of scripture for it brings the existing universe to a close. The scripture of reconciliation becomes the prophetic scripture of the soon return of Jesus-Christ our Lord and Savior.
The section that I chose to do my reading and reflection on is chapter 6: “The Theme of the Bible Is Jesus”. This is by far my favorite section because this is the greatest study in the whole Bible: Jesus. Jesus is front and center in the whole theme of Scripture. In this chapter, Hanna describes the biblical perspective of the divine and human nature of Jesus in the following terms: first, the place of Christ among the divine person, and second, the nature of Christ as a divine-human person, and lastly, the nature of Christ-centered connections between divine and human persons. I find this chapter fascinating because it brings together the many studies of the personhood of Jesus. Jesus is supremely divine. The account in John 8:58 reveals that Jesus is equating Himself with the attributes of YAHWEH. Jesus said, “Before Abraham was, I AM.” That phrase in the Greek is absolutely synonymous with the Hebrew understanding of the attributes of God Almighty. Scripture is altogether clear on the Divine Nature of Christ. On the other hand, Scripture is also clear on the fact of Jesus’ humanity. Hanna has done a great task of connecting this theme in using the texts in John 1 and Colossians. John 1:1 and 14 says “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God…And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” Colossians 2:9 says, “In Him (Christ) dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.” The content in this chapter definitely lifts of Jesus because it focuses on the study of the persona of Jesus.
NAME: RICHARD THOMAS The section that I chose to do my reading and reflection on is chapter 6: “The Theme of the Bible Is Jesus”. This is by far my favorite section because this is the greatest study in the whole Bible: Jesus. Jesus is front and center in the whole theme of Scripture. In this chapter, Hanna describes the biblical perspective of the divine and human nature of Jesus in the following terms: first, the place of Christ among the divine person, and second, the nature of Christ as a divine-human person, and lastly, the nature of Christ-centered connections between divine and human persons. I find this chapter fascinating because it brings together the many studies of the personhood of Jesus. Jesus is supremely divine. The account in John 8:58 reveals that Jesus is equating Himself with the attributes of YAHWEH. Jesus said, “Before Abraham was, I AM.” That phrase in the Greek is absolutely synonymous with the Hebrew understanding of the attributes of God Almighty. Scripture is altogether clear on the Divine Nature of Christ. On the other hand, Scripture is also clear on the fact of Jesus’ humanity. Hanna has done a great task of connecting this theme in using the texts in John 1 and Colossians. John 1:1 and 14 says “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God…And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” Colossians 2:9 says, “In Him (Christ) dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.” The content in this chapter definitely lifts of Jesus because it focuses on the study of the persona of Jesus.
I would like to talk briefly the revelation of Christ. I especially enjoyed chapter 6 of the cosmic Christ of scripture because it shared, in a concise way, how Jesus is a human revelation from God, yet is divine. Dr. Hanna does this in a very succinct way: show Jesus as part of the Godhead, explain His ability to be both divine and human, and lastly brings to light the Christ-centered connection between divine persons and human persons. When speaking about the trinity, it is easy to become confused to think that three persons can be one. Are they three, or are they one? However, the Bible is very clear that the trinity is made up of three divine persons who share divine titles with each other and are mutually indwelling in one another. Dr. Hanna uses this concept to introduce the social nature in terms of Christ and the trinity. Jesus is not only a divine being, but when made incarnate, became fully human as well. Christ was fully human in every way that we are, but was sinless. Furthermore, He was also tempted in every way that we are. In essence, this is what makes Jesus the perfect revelation of God and capable of being our substitute. Lastly, Jesus as divine and human has strong implications for us today. This points out to us that we are made in the image of God. Not just some of us, but all of humanity. Jesus created us in His image, and, even after the fall, wishes to redeem and remake us into His image. This chapter is crucial in understanding the rest of Dr. Hanna’s book. Jesus is the subject of scripture. Furthermore, Jesus as the subject of scripture must exist within the cosmos. It is evident that Jesus is the key focus here. Let me note here that Jesus is the only completely perfect revelation of God’s three revelations. It is also important to notice that all three revelations illuminate each other. However, I stand firm on the promise found in scripture that Jesus is the way to salvation; that only is relevant to me.
Perhaps the most appealing revelation of God is Christ. He came to this world to save humanity from sin.* Hence, He has a specific purpose in His contact with humanity. Interaction is here required. Since saving from sin is not possible if the human is not cooperating and acting upon it, as the Bible states in several places.** Christians agree that the heart of Christian theology is the doctrine of the divine-human Christ.*** If we also believe in an opponent of Christ, contesting in a cosmic conflict, who has certain powers and abilities also in our world, the world as we can perceive it, it is not odd that we find several references in the Bible to the appearance of false Christ’s. And not only of false Christ’s, but also of false teachers, who are by definition then are teaching false doctrine. It is therefore of high importance that we understand how we can discern between true doctrine and false doctrine. If we understand the revelation of God as it is in Christ not correctly we might miss the purpose of this revelation, being saved from sin. As already stated before the Bible is The Source of knowledge how to discern between truth and error. It was the “tool” how Christ conquered His opponent when he attempted to deceive Christ in the desert.****
*Matthew 2 **See for example James ch. 2 ***M. F. Hanna, The Cosmic Christ of Scripture, p.67 ****Matthew 4
I am currently reading about the revelation of God in the Incarnation. I don't know where I've been mentally but I am just coming to realize that all Scripture points to Jesus Christ. I have heard this said time and again but I think it is only now that I have come to realize how God's revelation in the scripture points to His ultimate self-revelation which is found in the live and ministry of Jesus Christ. It is my understanding that because humanity has been separated from God through sin, that we could never come after God nor comprehend Him. So, He had to come to us. (In undergrad, I learned that God is adventist because He is the "Coming God". He comes to us in Creation, Incarnation and through Inspiration according to Dr. Hanna's Model. I'd like to add that He will come again in Consummation when the plan of Salvation will have played out and God's mission accomplished.) I've often read the Bible in order to find how I ought to live without necessarily looking to the God who gives us power to "will and to do of His good pleasure". Because of this, I've found it hard at times to meet the demands of the law. However, my readings have helped me to see that my reading ought to be an effort to take in as much of God's self-revelation as possible so as to lay hold to the power God has promised inorder that I can become a revelation of Christ through His indwelling Spirit.
Christ the center of scripture, who should be the center of our lives too. As I read the chapter on “the theme of the bible is Jesus” I rejoiced many times with Dr. Hanna. as he states the reasons why Jesus is the center and different subtopics. To mention one of my favorites, “let us rejoice that Jesus is the Restorer of the full human personhood which He intended at the creation of humanity” (pg. 80). Christ took unto himself humanity to give me/us the hope of becoming once again the image of God. Also we can be victorious in our humanity through the power, the help and example of Christ’s life. Through Christ we are guaranteed to succeed in our Christian walk and faith. I pray for those who have not found Christ and have not made him their personal savior and friend. We need to make Christ our center, our priority. We need intimacy with our Lord and savior. Also we are one through the sacrifice of Jesus, the second/last Adam. I love the verse of 1 Cor. 15:21-22 “For since by man came death, by man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ will all be made alive”. Christ is the only bridge between God and us, but also the bridge between death and eternal life.
If God were not social, how could He create social beings? In line with Scripture, God made humanity in His image – male and female created He them (Genesis 1:26). Does this not imply that God must be both male and female in order to have created both male and female? I think it could be fair to say that a multiplicity of levels of understanding lies at the root of most theological issues: the Trinity (God as three-in-one), Jesus as fully divine and fully human, and Adam as both male and female. Such seeming contradictions necessitate deeper explorations into God’s character, which is perhaps God’s design to allow general revelation to contribute infinite opportunities for spiritual growth – within the confines of Scripture and Christ, of course.
Romans 1:25 says some people have “changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.” What if their worship of creature above Creator arose as a result of an incomplete hermeneutic? What if the religious leaders of the day dismissed the very aspect of the Creator these people desired to worship, inadvertently leading the people into willful disobedience? I am not trying to excuse the evil of humanity clearly expressed by the whole of this passage, but I am trying to pose some thought-provoking questions about our determination of the essence of God and what effect our hermeneutic may have on people who are completely lost in the worship of creature. Of greatest importance are the steps we take to help others turn to relate to the Creator in entire Truth.
Clinton Moriah The Theme of the Bible is Jesus. This is a very interesting and thought-provoking chapter. I found the argument presented by Dr Hanna concerning the concept of unity in diversity within a personal divinity in the Old Testament very insightful. The plurality of God is revealed several places in the Old Testament with Hebrew words or terms such as Elohim and Yahweh. One of these instances Give us an overview of God in conversation with himself in that God (Elohim) said: “come let us make man in our own image” (Genesis 1:26) .This divine community or government is also expressed in terms of Father ,Son and Holy spirit who were manifest at the baptism of Jesus. I believe that the relationship between the three distinct, co-equal and eternal persons of the Godhead are united in purpose and mission. This idea is also evident by the same titles used to describe each of them .Simultaneously. I am struggling to understand why Dr Hanna declared that the personhood of the spirit was veiled at the baptism of Jesus; since I believe that the personhood of the spirit and his anointing of Jesus were illustrated by a dove .Jesus is the revelation of the supreme revelation of God and the embodiment of God. I supported the concept that Jesus was fully human and divine. The bible tells us that Christ was born of a woman in the likeness of sinful flesh and became sin or became the supreme sacrifice for sin in order to save humanity and restores us to our full potentials Jesus experiences sorrow, growth, hunger, fatigue and was subject to death like any other human being. The epistle of Hebrews tells us that Jesus was tempted just like us but he didn’t succumb to sin. He was sinless and because of his life we can overcome sin. I agree that the work of creation ,salvation or redemption through Christ are related to each other and are inseparable I am amazed at the idea that the incarnation and ministry of Jesus made it possible for us to be partakers of the divine nature I have learnt that the nature of divinity and humanity are social and there is a biblical, Christ -centered connection of divine person to human beings.
God’s creation is a reflection of His image. However, we “see” that image imperfectly as in a cloudy mirror. For example, God created time as we experience it. At the same time, God is not limited by the limits of created time. Therefore, God may be better described as eternal rather than as timeless. In addition, God created human beings as social beings in His image. Therefore, God is not anti-social in His nature. At the same time, God is not limited by the limits of human sociality.
God created human beings as male and female in His image. Therefore, the image of God is present in male and female humanity. At the same time, God is not limited by the creation distinctions between male and female. In fact, there is an important distinction between divinity and humanity. God is not a man or a woman or an androgynous human being. God is the divine creator of human beings. God is the source of and is imaged in humanity and in the male-female distinction. At the same time, we cannot completely understand the way in which the male-female human image reflects the divine reality of its Source.
I have a great appreciation for chapter 6 entitled “The Theme of the Bible is Jesus.” So many people get into arguments over the relationship between the divinity and humanity of Christ. This chapter presents a clear, Biblical and attractive picture of Christ as he fully took on humanity and divinity as the Restorer and Savior of humankind. Rational, modern minds struggle to grasp the concept of both/and rather than either/or. As I read this chapter, I reflected on the blessing of the postmodern mindset. Postmodern individuals are content to say that Christ can be both fully divine and fully human, no questions asked. They are willing to embrace the mystery, the ambiguity and the symbolism in life, especially as it relates to the life and ministry of Jesus Christ. As we all know, there are downfalls to the postmodern mindset, just as there were and are downfalls to the modern, and pre-modern mindsets, but we must also relish the gift of communicating Christ to people willing to sustain mystery in their spiritual understanding. As page 82 states, “Jesus became a partaker of flesh and blood so that we might be partakers of the heavenly calling, partakers of Christ and partakers of the Holy Spirit.” I concur with the author’s awe and amazement at the birth, life, death and resurrection of Christ – what a gift! So many days we don’t even want to be us, but Jesus Christ chose to become one of us and enter this battle with limited resources. Truly awesome.
I am blown away by a reinterpretation of the divine-human nature of Christ concept presented in chapter 6 and 9. It becomes cliché when one says that “we are crucified with Christ and raised again with Him unto righteousness” “put on His righteousness to overcome” and “He has given us His righteousness.”
I’ve always understood that Christ was such on another level, that I’d wonder “who can do any of the things that He did?” When Christ was on earth, many wondered if He really was God! Now, thousands of years later, we wonder if He really was man!
Now, understanding that I am living life compromised by sin, not to the fullness that God intended because that vital element was lost in sin, it makes absolute perfect sense that I would be able to stand be clothed in the righteousness of God. Having His righteousness is like throwing the crutches and taking off the cast from my leg so that I can stand with full faculties that God intended for me to have; fully human fully divine through Him. As partakers of this divine nature, we can truly fulfill the expectations that He has for us.
Could this mean that, as representatives, demons would tremble knowing that we are now partakers? Could I then, cast out demons, heal the sick, hold the keys of the kingdom, bind and loose things on earth which will be bound or loosed in heaven? Could this mean that we can really do greater works than Christ as He promises? Could we then REALLY bear all the temptations yet keep our souls untained by sin?
I am blown away by a reinterpretation of the divine-human nature of Christ concept presented in chapter 6 and 9. It becomes cliché when one says that “we are crucified with Christ and raised again with Him unto righteousness” “put on His righteousness to overcome” and “He has given us His righteousness.”
I’ve always understood that Christ was such on another level, that I’d wonder “who can do any of the things that He did?” When Christ was on earth, many wondered if He really was God! Now, thousands of years later, we wonder if He really was man!
Now, understanding that I am living life compromised by sin, not to the fullness that God intended because that vital element was lost in sin, it makes absolute perfect sense that I would be able to stand be clothed in the righteousness of God. Having His righteousness is like throwing the crutches and taking off the cast from my leg so that I can stand with full faculties that God intended for me to have; fully human fully divine through Him. As partakers of this divine nature, we can truly fulfill the expectations that He has for us.
Could this mean that, as representatives, demons would tremble knowing that we are now partakers? Could I then, cast out demons, heal the sick, hold the keys of the kingdom, bind and loose things on earth which will be bound or loosed in heaven? Could this mean that we can really do greater works than Christ as He promises? Could we then REALLY bear all the temptations yet keep our souls untained by sin?
It is very important and not easy to talk about the nature of Christ. There are so many opinions and points of view on this issue. Although it still is a miracle, a mystery of God Incarnate, we still can find solid evidence on Christ being a God in the Bible. Dr. Hanna gives these texts and proves that Christ is God, the Christ is a Man, and the Christ is both indivisibly. Someone said that while being on our earth Jesus kept His divinity in His back pocket. He never stopped being a God, but He did not use it, to be able to show that a human being can live life like He did, living on this sinful earth. I will just add here, that in one of the unions of Euro-Asia Division, where I come from, the nature of Christ is big issue. There is even a separation among church member on different fractions, who believe that Jesus was both man and God, and those who consider Him just a great man, great teacher… A sad situation… I like the idea that God created us according to His image. And His image consists of three persons. It means that we are created to be sociable. And it is so true. I just enjoy being alike God at least in this feature of His image, since I am a very sociable person. And nevertheless growing into His full image is a goal of my life.
Christ is both human and divine! In chapters 6 and 7 of Dr. Hanna’s book we find this discussion grappled with again. How can Christ be both fully human and fully divine? Or even more importantly how can Christ be fully human and sinless? These and many more have been the basis for much debate and discussion in Christendom. However, these questions seem to misplace our attention on the how. In its fullness it is a great mystery. I believe the key issue is what Christ accomplished because he was both divine and human. Two powerful arguments are made about what Christ accomplished. They are found under the Christ connection “Jesus as Restorer of full human personhood.” In chapter six this concept is supported by biblical references on pages 80-83. In chapter seven this concept is supported by Ellen White quotes on pages 92-95. According to the idea presented in these two sections of the book, Christ in His human body restores human personhood and the church and He makes it possible for humans to be partakers of the divine nature. Here lies the power of the Christian and the Church. What was lost in humanity and subsequently the Church is found again in Christ. However, not only that but we may also, once again, be partakers of Christ divine nature. In other words we may have intimacy with Christ. He is the one who asks of us to deny self, follow him, suffer, endure, and more. However, He is the same one who we may go to, in order that we may accomplish what He has asked. For without His sacrifice, it could not and cannot be accomplished. He restored everything we lost in the Garden of Eden through His divine and human nature during his time here on earth. We can rejoice because we have a Savior who is our brother in our infirmities. “He took our nature and overcame, that we through taking His nature might overcome.” What an awesome God! What a wonderful work He has done! What an awesome life we can live through Him!
Many participants in this discussion have made wonderful statements about the privilege we have to be partakers of the divine nature. As David indicates in his two comments, partaking of the divine nature has to do with intimacy with God. It does not have to do with us becoming God. This is the same idea that is highlighted in the biblical language of “oneness with God” which is mentioned by Raewyn.
Olga points out that Christ did not cease to be God. This is how he makes us one with God in terms of a relation of intimacy. Finally, Jesus did not use his divinity to give himself any advantage which he does not also make available to us through intimacy with God. Jesus did not come to show us what humanity can do without God. He came to show us what we can do by partaking of the divine nature through an intimate relationship with God.
In the preamble to chapter six of your book you spoke of how Jesus predicted that there would be many false Christ and of how the apostle John stated that even in his day they were already present false Christ. You went on to show how we can think that we will not be deceived because of having a knowledge of Jesus and of the anti-christ.
I appreciated your discussion in Chapter six that seeks to look at the nature of Christ. You highlighted certain scriptures that show Biblical evidenced for the plurality of God and for Christ being apart of the God-head. In Psalm 89:26 that was mentioned it is pointed out that there is a Father son relationship within the Godhead. This is also pointed out again in Luke 1:32 says that the Son of Mary “shall be called the Son of the Highest,” and also in this goes along with the text you mentioned in John where Jesus said "My Father worketh hitherto and I work," thus He equates himself with God. In Matthew 3:16,17 the Bible states, "And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." Here we see the Holy Spirit being presented with Father and son in an equal fashion and again in Matt 28:19 where He mentioned as one of the names along with Father and Son that men ought to be baptized into. Also in Act 5 1-4 Luke records the apostle Peter making an interesting point for us concerning The Holy Spirit and His divinity.
"1But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession,/And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles' feet./But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?/Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God." Here we see Peter saying that Ananias and his wife Sapphira had decided together to lie to God whom Peter said was the Holy Ghost.
It was good for me to see your reference to "The Lord our God is One." while at the same time referring to the creation and how God said "Let us make man in our image," and again, "So God made man in His own image." Thus we see that there is plurality in the oneness of God.
Also John tells us that he wrote these things down so "that ye might elieve that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through His name." John 20:31 When asked whom do men say that I "Son of Man am", Peter answered, "thou art the Christ, the Son of The Living God." Scripture testifies of the divinity of Jesus, and alike of his humanity, as Jesus says that the Father left "all judgement to son, for that He is The Son of Man." Jesus according to John in 1 John 1, was seen and touched. "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; 2(For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) 3That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ." So then we see Jesus not only having flesh like all of Adam's children, but we also see Him again being liked with God as His Father.
Clinton marvellous Hignatious Moriah Do we really understand the humanity of Christ? (Chapter 6)
The part I love the most in Dr Hanna’s Book is section three which deals with Christ .The chapter I love the most is “The theme of the Bible is Jesus.” Hanna has presented a solution to the debate on the post and pre-fall nature of humanity of the incarnated Christ. His solution is grounded in spirit of prophecy and scripture. Hanna believes that Christ was fully human and yet he was sinless. He states that “ Jesus restores human personhood in his human body and in the church which is his spiritual body”(pg 80) He argues that Christ humanity had pre-fall and post fall traits but he was unique. Unique is that he had a nature weakened by sin but didn’t possess sinful propensities .He presents Christ as like us yet “unique.” I agree with him but do we really understand the humanity of Christ? Can we? I think that an understanding of the humanity of Christ has great implications for Christian living. I think Christ had traits of post and pre-fall man but he was” unique” because he was fully man and fully God. Greek words like “monogenes” (Unique or only one of those kinds) and ‘prototokos” ‘the firstborn describe the uniqueness of his humanity. Second, the conception of Christ and the manner of his birth was unique. The Greek word used in Luke 1:35 for overshadowed, “eperchomai”, refers to the Holy Spirit descending and operating in one. The act of moving and hovering over is similar to that of creation (Gen 1:2) Finally, Christ is the model of a new creation. His human nature is a bridge or ladder between Pre –fall man, post fall man and God. His nature is the model of God ideal intention for humanity. Pre fall man was created in the image of God. Pre – fall man was human and divine. This divine aspect was predicated on his relationship with God and his reproduction of God’s nature and character through pro-creation .The incarnated Christ is the model of God’s original creation. “Through his flesh open he has open a new living way.” (Heb 10:20) His nature is the model of God ideal intention for human. The humanity of Christ is also illustrated in the Old Testament sanctuary but in my opinion, the most powerful illustration of the uniqueness of Christ humanity and his model of a new creation is found in Jeremiah‘s experience in the potter’s house in chapter 18 of his book. .The clay vessel fell and was broken but the potter having the original pattern in mind make the same broken vessel over into his original plan. .The new vessel was the same but different. It reminds me of Christ and his church.
Clinton Marvellous Hignatious moriah "The Theme of The Bible is Jesus"
Do we really understand the humanity of Christ? (Chapter 6) The part I love the most in Dr Hanna’s Book is section three which deals with Christ .The chapter I love the most is “The theme of the Bible is Jesus.” Hanna has presented a solution to the debate on the post and pre-fall nature of humanity of the incarnated Christ. His solution is grounded in spirit of prophecy and scripture. Hanna believes that Christ was fully human and yet he was sinless. He states that “ Jesus restores human personhood in his human body and in the church which is his spiritual body”(pg 80) He argues that Christ humanity had pre-fall and post fall traits but he was unique. Unique is that he had a nature weakened by sin but didn’t possess sinful propensities .He presents Christ as like us yet “unique.” I agree with him but do we really understand the humanity of Christ? Can we? I think that an understanding of the humanity of Christ has great implications for Christian living. I think Christ had traits of post and pre-fall man but he was” unique” because he was fully man and fully God. Greek words like “monogenes” (Unique or only one of those kinds) and ‘prototokos” ‘the firstborn describe the uniqueness of his humanity. Second, the conception of Christ and the manner of his birth was unique. The Greek word used in Luke 1:35 for overshadowed, “eperchomai”, refers to the Holy Spirit descending and operating in one. The act of moving and hovering over is similar to that of creation (Gen 1:2) Finally, Christ is the model of a new creation. His human nature is a bridge or ladder between Pre –fall man, post fall man and God. His nature is the model of God ideal intention for humanity. Pre fall man was created in the image of God. Pre – fall man was human and divine. This divine aspect was predicated on his relationship with God and his reproduction of God’s nature and character through pro-creation .The incarnated Christ is the model of God’s original creation. “Through his flesh open he has open a new living way.” (Heb 10:20) His nature is the model of God ideal intention for human. The humanity of Christ is also illustrated in the Old Testament sanctuary but in my opinion, the most powerful illustration of the uniqueness of Christ humanity and his model of a new creation is found in Jeremiah‘s experience in the potter’s house in chapter 18 of his book. .The clay vessel fell and was broken but the potter having the original pattern in mind make the same broken vessel over into his original plan. .The new vessel was the same but different. It reminds me of Christ and his church.
24 comments:
I have to admit, that I have not been able to fully comprehend Dr. Hanna's book. The class lectures and the discussion have been helpful. My main concern according to Dr. Hanna's model--this maybe due to ignorance on my part--is the "Cosmos." Even after evaluating the texts cited to prove his contention, I am not convinced neither from the book nor class. According to Dr. Hanna, with the info I have thus so far, I am being lead to the conclusion that the author believes that "Nature" is a revelation that can independently lead a soul to salvation.
Romans 1:20 does not seem convey that Nature is a self-evident source of salvation. Nature maybe a witness, to God's divine attributes but it is not a complete source to lead anyone to salvation. Furthermore, the context of Romans 1:19-20 apparently seems to be pointing back to creation, when a the divine attributes of God could be even more clearly seen, because of the absence of the Flood and the short reign of rebellion and sin. Similarly, Romans 1:20 does not appear to be saying that the Gospel was revealed to all men through nature, rather, the greatness of Nature appeals to the self-evident truth that there is a creator. In verse 25 this become apparent because the choice that the wicked make is not to serve the creator but a creature. In other words the revelation of God through creation, although not complete, was sufficient to prevent them from worshiping idols. Restated, mankind by being preceptive about truths in nature had enough light to avoid sin. This being said, it is apparent that this was not the only way God wanted to be revealed to them nor the primary way. The Gospel is the primary mode of revelation--spoken, written, and lived--to the world of God's character. Moreover, it is the primary means of judgmentl.
"And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all nations, and then the end will come" (Mt. 24:14)
(Paul explaining how the gentiles, who do not have the message, but live right are still judged by "his gospel")
"In the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel." (Rom 2:16)
"If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, he himself shall also drink the wine of the wrath of God.." (Rev. 14:9-10)
"The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth that they might be saved" (2nd Thess. 2:9-10)
It appears to me that the gospel--the revelation of Jesus Christ written, spoken, and lived--will be the litmus test for salvation. Therefore, the Gospel is to have primacy over nature and stands independently without need of nature's witness.
I hope I do not seem arrogant. I am just trying to reason with the little that I have learned.
9/19/2006 2:16 PM
One of the points which have come up in the discussion so far is the question as to whether natural revelation can independently lead a soul to salvation. This is not a claim that I am conscious of implying in my book.
Creation is not a self-evident revelation of God as Creator or as Savior. Apart from the leading of the Holy Spirit (Rom 8:14) we cannot receive the revelation of creation or the revelation of the Savior according to Scripture (1:1-5; 16:25-26). All people will be judged as saved or lost according to the gospel way of salvation (2:16).
At the same time, Paul writes about the gospel according to Scripture in relation to writing about the revelation of God in creation.
He transitions smoothly from a discussion of the power of the gospel for Jews and Gentiles (Rom 1:16) to a discussion of the power of God revealed in creation (1:20).
In that transition he mentions that God’s wrath is revealed against those who hold the truth in unrighteousness because God has manifest Himself in them and to them (1:18-19).
My position is that the revelation of Scripture and the revelation of nature are not in conflict with each other. Each sheds light on the other.
9/19/2006 8:37 PM
Part three of the Cosmic Christ of Scripture focuses on Christ. I have to admit this has been my favorite part of the book! Christ is lifted up that all who are willing may see that HE is the greatest revelation of the Character of God! For someone who is seeking to affirm their faith, this section provides a logical sequence of biblical evidence for the Divine-Human Christ and is confirmed by the writings of E. G. White. Such a Jesus is the Desire of my heart, one who is both completely human enough to reach me and entirely Divine to save me.
Personally, along with the academic load and pressure to do well, above all I am in a quest for true spirituality. I try to see it in every faculty member and student of the Seminary, I seek to find a deeper meaning to life by contemplating in nature, searching the Scripture morning by morning, and every time I'm honest and humble enough I encounter the Divine-human Christ and what HE is able to do in my inner being. I already know I'm human, that's why I seek a deeper existance, my soul longs for a life much greater than this present nature. As Dr. Hanna wrote in page 82, "It is wonderful to note that Jesus restores human personhood by making it possible for us to become partakers with divine nature." What a blessed thought to have a divine and human relationship by being connected with Christ!
This may not be considered an academic comment, but it's a testimony that a Cosmic Christ Connection is happenning in my life. I refuse to do theology without applying it to my life. I will continue to seek true spirituality and, praise God for theology, for through it He has revealed us where to find it.
God bless!
9/28/2006 4:05 PM
I just completed my reading of Chapter 5, "Reading the Revelation of Divinity In Humanity: Will the Real Christ Stand Up?" We've been speaking a great deal about the Christ of Scripture during our class time with the intent to unearth His true essence. By that I mean, our goal has been to understand what it is we are to believe in terms of the person of Jesus Christ in terms of how He has revealed Himself within the Cosmos through His incarnation and Scripture.
It seems that many of us are out of touch with the "real" Jesus because we seldom take time to find what He actually wanted to convey, rather than placing our own prejudices and presuppositions in a position higher than the Inspired text. The book suggests that this is made easier for us because false teachers and Christs abound. The only way we will ever be able to discern who God really is and what His will actually is for us, we must learn to put our presuppositions in a lesser position than that of unadulturated scripture, as given by God Himself. In scripture, we see a clear picture of Christ painted for our benefit. "Christ is the supreme revelation of divinity (p.68)." Because we limit our scope of Him, we are unable to take in all that God has intended to reveal through His self-revelation. Once we are open to allowing the Bible speak for itself, I believe we as Christians will discover myriads of things we were once simply to closed-minded to notice prior.
9/28/2006 5:56 PM
I always thought of the word cosmic as a separate entity to Christ. However, after I read some chapters corresponding to the subject matter, It seems of utmost importance that Christ is in the cosmic reconciliating the world to himself. If I were to give a title to this comment, I would entitled it "The cosmic recon-ciliation. The Cosmic of Christ sheds light on scripture as it is centered in the person of Christ.
Through Christ, God performed an act of cosmic reconciliation and peacemaking. As it states in Colossians 1v16-19" For by Him were all things created, that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones or dominions, or principalities, or powers: ALL THINGS WERE CREATED BY HIM, AND FOR HIM ETC.
The cosmic christology is expressed in terms of Christ's lordship which is the bridge which unites creation and redemption. This lordship expresses the continuity of God's sovereignty in the multiple forms of his works through creation and redemption. The originating goodness and wholeness of creation are restored through God's grace revealed in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus-Christ. Once our blessed Christ of beauty was veiled off from human view; but through suffering, and death, and sorrow he has rent the veil in two. The wonders of redeeming love. Our highest thought exceed; The son of God comes from above for sinful man to bleed. Jesus was a living parable of God's reign, an embodiement of a redeemed and reconciled creation. Christ at the cross inaugurated the age to come, the time of reconciliation and restauration of the cosmos. The reign of God which is and is to come.
Scripture make manifest the coming of the kingdom, and can be understood properly if we realize throughout that Christ is its King and the entire creation its domain.
The Cosmic of Christ shows how relevant it is to learn to read scripture in its entirety as a witness to the cosmic Christ. The issuethen becomes to lok at those creational realities through the scope of scripture, discerning the creational law revealed in experience in the light of the creational law revealed in the scriptures. And this is fitting as agents of Christ reconciliation in humanity where the reality of sin and the necessity of salvation are as real as anywhere else in God's creation. The reconciliation of all things is the fulfillment of scripture for it brings the existing universe to a close. The scripture of reconciliation becomes the prophetic scripture of the soon return of Jesus-Christ our Lord and Savior.
The section that I chose to do my reading and reflection on is chapter 6: “The Theme of the Bible Is Jesus”. This is by far my favorite section because this is the greatest study in the whole Bible: Jesus. Jesus is front and center in the whole theme of Scripture. In this chapter, Hanna describes the biblical perspective of the divine and human nature of Jesus in the following terms: first, the place of Christ among the divine person, and second, the nature of Christ as a divine-human person, and lastly, the nature of Christ-centered connections between divine and human persons.
I find this chapter fascinating because it brings together the many studies of the personhood of Jesus. Jesus is supremely divine. The account in John 8:58 reveals that Jesus is equating Himself with the attributes of YAHWEH. Jesus said, “Before Abraham was, I AM.” That phrase in the Greek is absolutely synonymous with the Hebrew understanding of the attributes of God Almighty. Scripture is altogether clear on the Divine Nature of Christ. On the other hand, Scripture is also clear on the fact of Jesus’ humanity. Hanna has done a great task of connecting this theme in using the texts in John 1 and Colossians. John 1:1 and 14 says “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God…And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” Colossians 2:9 says, “In Him (Christ) dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.” The content in this chapter definitely lifts of Jesus because it focuses on the study of the persona of Jesus.
NAME: RICHARD THOMAS
The section that I chose to do my reading and reflection on is chapter 6: “The Theme of the Bible Is Jesus”. This is by far my favorite section because this is the greatest study in the whole Bible: Jesus. Jesus is front and center in the whole theme of Scripture. In this chapter, Hanna describes the biblical perspective of the divine and human nature of Jesus in the following terms: first, the place of Christ among the divine person, and second, the nature of Christ as a divine-human person, and lastly, the nature of Christ-centered connections between divine and human persons.
I find this chapter fascinating because it brings together the many studies of the personhood of Jesus. Jesus is supremely divine. The account in John 8:58 reveals that Jesus is equating Himself with the attributes of YAHWEH. Jesus said, “Before Abraham was, I AM.” That phrase in the Greek is absolutely synonymous with the Hebrew understanding of the attributes of God Almighty. Scripture is altogether clear on the Divine Nature of Christ. On the other hand, Scripture is also clear on the fact of Jesus’ humanity. Hanna has done a great task of connecting this theme in using the texts in John 1 and Colossians. John 1:1 and 14 says “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God…And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” Colossians 2:9 says, “In Him (Christ) dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.” The content in this chapter definitely lifts of Jesus because it focuses on the study of the persona of Jesus.
Jason Vecchiarelli
October Entry
I would like to talk briefly the revelation of Christ. I especially enjoyed chapter 6 of the cosmic Christ of scripture because it shared, in a concise way, how Jesus is a human revelation from God, yet is divine. Dr. Hanna does this in a very succinct way: show Jesus as part of the Godhead, explain His ability to be both divine and human, and lastly brings to light the Christ-centered connection between divine persons and human persons.
When speaking about the trinity, it is easy to become confused to think that three persons can be one. Are they three, or are they one? However, the Bible is very clear that the trinity is made up of three divine persons who share divine titles with each other and are mutually indwelling in one another. Dr. Hanna uses this concept to introduce the social nature in terms of Christ and the trinity.
Jesus is not only a divine being, but when made incarnate, became fully human as well. Christ was fully human in every way that we are, but was sinless. Furthermore, He was also tempted in every way that we are. In essence, this is what makes Jesus the perfect revelation of God and capable of being our substitute.
Lastly, Jesus as divine and human has strong implications for us today. This points out to us that we are made in the image of God. Not just some of us, but all of humanity. Jesus created us in His image, and, even after the fall, wishes to redeem and remake us into His image.
This chapter is crucial in understanding the rest of Dr. Hanna’s book. Jesus is the subject of scripture. Furthermore, Jesus as the subject of scripture must exist within the cosmos. It is evident that Jesus is the key focus here. Let me note here that Jesus is the only completely perfect revelation of God’s three revelations. It is also important to notice that all three revelations illuminate each other. However, I stand firm on the promise found in scripture that Jesus is the way to salvation; that only is relevant to me.
Perhaps the most appealing revelation of God is Christ. He came to this world to save humanity from sin.* Hence, He has a specific purpose in His contact with humanity. Interaction is here required. Since saving from sin is not possible if the human is not cooperating and acting upon it, as the Bible states in several places.**
Christians agree that the heart of Christian theology is the doctrine of the divine-human Christ.*** If we also believe in an opponent of Christ, contesting in a cosmic conflict, who has certain powers and abilities also in our world, the world as we can perceive it, it is not odd that we find several references in the Bible to the appearance of false Christ’s. And not only of false Christ’s, but also of false teachers, who are by definition then are teaching false doctrine.
It is therefore of high importance that we understand how we can discern between true doctrine and false doctrine. If we understand the revelation of God as it is in Christ not correctly we might miss the purpose of this revelation, being saved from sin.
As already stated before the Bible is The Source of knowledge how to discern between truth and error. It was the “tool” how Christ conquered His opponent when he attempted to deceive Christ in the desert.****
*Matthew 2
**See for example James ch. 2
***M. F. Hanna, The Cosmic Christ of Scripture, p.67
****Matthew 4
I am currently reading about the revelation of God in the Incarnation. I don't know where I've been mentally but I am just coming to realize that all Scripture points to Jesus Christ. I have heard this said time and again but I think it is only now that I have come to realize how God's revelation in the scripture points to His ultimate self-revelation which is found in the live and ministry of Jesus Christ.
It is my understanding that because humanity has been separated from God through sin, that we could never come after God nor comprehend Him. So, He had to come to us. (In undergrad, I learned that God is adventist because He is the "Coming God". He comes to us in Creation, Incarnation and through Inspiration according to Dr. Hanna's Model. I'd like to add that He will come again in Consummation when the plan of Salvation will have played out and God's mission accomplished.)
I've often read the Bible in order to find how I ought to live without necessarily looking to the God who gives us power to "will and to do of His good pleasure". Because of this, I've found it hard at times to meet the demands of the law. However, my readings have helped me to see that my reading ought to be an effort to take in as much of God's self-revelation as possible so as to lay hold to the power God has promised inorder that I can become a revelation of Christ through His indwelling Spirit.
-Lola Moore
Christ the center of scripture, who should be the center of our lives too. As I read the chapter on “the theme of the bible is Jesus” I rejoiced many times with Dr. Hanna. as he states the reasons why Jesus is the center and different subtopics. To mention one of my favorites, “let us rejoice that Jesus is the Restorer of the full human personhood which He intended at the creation of humanity” (pg. 80). Christ took unto himself humanity to give me/us the hope of becoming once again the image of God. Also we can be victorious in our humanity through the power, the help and example of Christ’s life. Through Christ we are guaranteed to succeed in our Christian walk and faith. I pray for those who have not found Christ and have not made him their personal savior and friend. We need to make Christ our center, our priority. We need intimacy with our Lord and savior.
Also we are one through the sacrifice of Jesus, the second/last Adam. I love the verse of 1 Cor. 15:21-22 “For since by man came death, by man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ will all be made alive”.
Christ is the only bridge between God and us, but also the bridge between death and eternal life.
If God were not social, how could He create social beings? In line with Scripture, God made humanity in His image – male and female created He them (Genesis 1:26). Does this not imply that God must be both male and female in order to have created both male and female? I think it could be fair to say that a multiplicity of levels of understanding lies at the root of most theological issues: the Trinity (God as three-in-one), Jesus as fully divine and fully human, and Adam as both male and female. Such seeming contradictions necessitate deeper explorations into God’s character, which is perhaps God’s design to allow general revelation to contribute infinite opportunities for spiritual growth – within the confines of Scripture and Christ, of course.
Romans 1:25 says some people have “changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.” What if their worship of creature above Creator arose as a result of an incomplete hermeneutic? What if the religious leaders of the day dismissed the very aspect of the Creator these people desired to worship, inadvertently leading the people into willful disobedience? I am not trying to excuse the evil of humanity clearly expressed by the whole of this passage, but I am trying to pose some thought-provoking questions about our determination of the essence of God and what effect our hermeneutic may have on people who are completely lost in the worship of creature. Of greatest importance are the steps we take to help others turn to relate to the Creator in entire Truth.
Clinton Moriah
The Theme of the Bible is Jesus.
This is a very interesting and thought-provoking chapter. I found the argument presented by Dr Hanna concerning the concept of unity in diversity within a personal divinity in the Old Testament very insightful. The plurality of God is revealed several places in the Old Testament with Hebrew words or terms such as Elohim and Yahweh. One of these instances Give us an overview of God in conversation with himself in that God (Elohim) said: “come let us make man in our own image” (Genesis 1:26) .This divine community or government is also expressed in terms of Father ,Son and Holy spirit who were manifest at the baptism of Jesus. I believe that the relationship between the three distinct, co-equal and eternal persons of the Godhead are united in purpose and mission. This idea is also evident by the same titles used to describe each of them .Simultaneously.
I am struggling to understand why Dr Hanna declared that the personhood of the spirit was veiled at the baptism of Jesus; since I believe that the personhood of the spirit and his anointing of Jesus were illustrated by a dove .Jesus is the revelation of the supreme revelation of God and the embodiment of God.
I supported the concept that Jesus was fully human and divine. The bible tells us that Christ was born of a woman in the likeness of sinful flesh and became sin or became the supreme sacrifice for sin in order to save humanity and restores us to our full potentials Jesus experiences sorrow, growth, hunger, fatigue and was subject to death like any other human being. The epistle of Hebrews tells us that Jesus was tempted just like us but he didn’t succumb to sin. He was sinless and because of his life we can overcome sin. I agree that the work of creation ,salvation or redemption through Christ are related to each other and are inseparable I am amazed at the idea that the incarnation and ministry of Jesus made it possible for us to be partakers of the divine nature
I have learnt that the nature of divinity and humanity are social and there is a biblical, Christ -centered connection of divine person to human beings.
God’s creation is a reflection of His image. However, we “see” that image imperfectly as in a cloudy mirror. For example, God created time as we experience it. At the same time, God is not limited by the limits of created time. Therefore, God may be better described as eternal rather than as timeless. In addition, God created human beings as social beings in His image. Therefore, God is not anti-social in His nature. At the same time, God is not limited by the limits of human sociality.
God created human beings as male and female in His image. Therefore, the image of God is present in male and female humanity. At the same time, God is not limited by the creation distinctions between male and female. In fact, there is an important distinction between divinity and humanity. God is not a man or a woman or an androgynous human being. God is the divine creator of human beings. God is the source of and is imaged in humanity and in the male-female distinction. At the same time, we cannot completely understand the way in which the male-female human image reflects the divine reality of its Source.
Martin Hanna.
I have a great appreciation for chapter 6 entitled “The Theme of the Bible is Jesus.” So many people get into arguments over the relationship between the divinity and humanity of Christ. This chapter presents a clear, Biblical and attractive picture of Christ as he fully took on humanity and divinity as the Restorer and Savior of humankind. Rational, modern minds struggle to grasp the concept of both/and rather than either/or. As I read this chapter, I reflected on the blessing of the postmodern mindset. Postmodern individuals are content to say that Christ can be both fully divine and fully human, no questions asked. They are willing to embrace the mystery, the ambiguity and the symbolism in life, especially as it relates to the life and ministry of Jesus Christ. As we all know, there are downfalls to the postmodern mindset, just as there were and are downfalls to the modern, and pre-modern mindsets, but we must also relish the gift of communicating Christ to people willing to sustain mystery in their spiritual understanding. As page 82 states, “Jesus became a partaker of flesh and blood so that we might be partakers of the heavenly calling, partakers of Christ and partakers of the Holy Spirit.” I concur with the author’s awe and amazement at the birth, life, death and resurrection of Christ – what a gift! So many days we don’t even want to be us, but Jesus Christ chose to become one of us and enter this battle with limited resources. Truly awesome.
--Tara VinCross
I am blown away by a reinterpretation of the divine-human nature of Christ concept presented in chapter 6 and 9. It becomes cliché when one says that “we are crucified with Christ and raised again with Him unto righteousness” “put on His righteousness to overcome” and “He has given us His righteousness.”
I’ve always understood that Christ was such on another level, that I’d wonder “who can do any of the things that He did?” When Christ was on earth, many wondered if He really was God! Now, thousands of years later, we wonder if He really was man!
Now, understanding that I am living life compromised by sin, not to the fullness that God intended because that vital element was lost in sin, it makes absolute perfect sense that I would be able to stand be clothed in the righteousness of God. Having His righteousness is like throwing the crutches and taking off the cast from my leg so that I can stand with full faculties that God intended for me to have; fully human fully divine through Him. As partakers of this divine nature, we can truly fulfill the expectations that He has for us.
Could this mean that, as representatives, demons would tremble knowing that we are now partakers? Could I then, cast out demons, heal the sick, hold the keys of the kingdom, bind and loose things on earth which will be bound or loosed in heaven? Could this mean that we can really do greater works than Christ as He promises? Could we then REALLY bear all the temptations yet keep our souls untained by sin?
I respond with an emphatic YES!
I am blown away by a reinterpretation of the divine-human nature of Christ concept presented in chapter 6 and 9. It becomes cliché when one says that “we are crucified with Christ and raised again with Him unto righteousness” “put on His righteousness to overcome” and “He has given us His righteousness.”
I’ve always understood that Christ was such on another level, that I’d wonder “who can do any of the things that He did?” When Christ was on earth, many wondered if He really was God! Now, thousands of years later, we wonder if He really was man!
Now, understanding that I am living life compromised by sin, not to the fullness that God intended because that vital element was lost in sin, it makes absolute perfect sense that I would be able to stand be clothed in the righteousness of God. Having His righteousness is like throwing the crutches and taking off the cast from my leg so that I can stand with full faculties that God intended for me to have; fully human fully divine through Him. As partakers of this divine nature, we can truly fulfill the expectations that He has for us.
Could this mean that, as representatives, demons would tremble knowing that we are now partakers? Could I then, cast out demons, heal the sick, hold the keys of the kingdom, bind and loose things on earth which will be bound or loosed in heaven? Could this mean that we can really do greater works than Christ as He promises? Could we then REALLY bear all the temptations yet keep our souls untained by sin?
I respond with an emphatic YES!
It is very important and not easy to talk about the nature of Christ. There are so many opinions and points of view on this issue. Although it still is a miracle, a mystery of God Incarnate, we still can find solid evidence on Christ being a God in the Bible. Dr. Hanna gives these texts and proves that Christ is God, the Christ is a Man, and the Christ is both indivisibly. Someone said that while being on our earth Jesus kept His divinity in His back pocket. He never stopped being a God, but He did not use it, to be able to show that a human being can live life like He did, living on this sinful earth. I will just add here, that in one of the unions of Euro-Asia Division, where I come from, the nature of Christ is big issue. There is even a separation among church member on different fractions, who believe that Jesus was both man and God, and those who consider Him just a great man, great teacher… A sad situation…
I like the idea that God created us according to His image. And His image consists of three persons. It means that we are created to be sociable. And it is so true. I just enjoy being alike God at least in this feature of His image, since I am a very sociable person. And nevertheless growing into His full image is a goal of my life.
Christ is both human and divine! In chapters 6 and 7 of Dr. Hanna’s book we find this discussion grappled with again. How can Christ be both fully human and fully divine? Or even more importantly how can Christ be fully human and sinless? These and many more have been the basis for much debate and discussion in Christendom. However, these questions seem to misplace our attention on the how. In its fullness it is a great mystery. I believe the key issue is what Christ accomplished because he was both divine and human. Two powerful arguments are made about what Christ accomplished. They are found under the Christ connection “Jesus as Restorer of full human personhood.” In chapter six this concept is supported by biblical references on pages 80-83. In chapter seven this concept is supported by Ellen White quotes on pages 92-95. According to the idea presented in these two sections of the book, Christ in His human body restores human personhood and the church and He makes it possible for humans to be partakers of the divine nature. Here lies the power of the Christian and the Church. What was lost in humanity and subsequently the Church is found again in Christ. However, not only that but we may also, once again, be partakers of Christ divine nature. In other words we may have intimacy with Christ. He is the one who asks of us to deny self, follow him, suffer, endure, and more. However, He is the same one who we may go to, in order that we may accomplish what He has asked. For without His sacrifice, it could not and cannot be accomplished. He restored everything we lost in the Garden of Eden through His divine and human nature during his time here on earth. We can rejoice because we have a Savior who is our brother in our infirmities. “He took our nature and overcame, that we through taking His nature might overcome.” What an awesome God! What a wonderful work He has done! What an awesome life we can live through Him!
- David B. Franklin
Many participants in this discussion have made wonderful statements about the privilege we have to be partakers of the divine nature. As David indicates in his two comments, partaking of the divine nature has to do with intimacy with God. It does not have to do with us becoming God. This is the same idea that is highlighted in the biblical language of “oneness with God” which is mentioned by Raewyn.
Olga points out that Christ did not cease to be God. This is how he makes us one with God in terms of a relation of intimacy. Finally, Jesus did not use his divinity to give himself any advantage which he does not also make available to us through intimacy with God. Jesus did not come to show us what humanity can do without God. He came to show us what we can do by partaking of the divine nature through an intimate relationship with God.
Martin Hanna.
Comments on The Cosmic Christ of Scripture
In the preamble to chapter six of your book you spoke of how Jesus predicted that there would be many false Christ and of how the apostle John stated that even in his day they were already present false Christ. You went on to show how we can think that we will not be deceived because of having a knowledge of Jesus and of the anti-christ.
I appreciated your discussion in Chapter six that seeks to look at the nature of Christ. You highlighted certain scriptures that show Biblical evidenced for the plurality of God and for Christ being apart of the God-head. In Psalm 89:26 that was mentioned it is pointed out that there is a Father son relationship within the Godhead. This is also pointed out again in Luke 1:32 says that the Son of Mary “shall be called the Son of the Highest,” and also in this goes along with the text you mentioned in John where Jesus said "My Father worketh hitherto and I work," thus He equates himself with God. In Matthew 3:16,17 the Bible states, "And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." Here we see the Holy Spirit being presented with Father and son in an equal fashion and again in Matt 28:19 where He mentioned as one of the names along with Father and Son that men ought to be baptized into. Also in Act 5 1-4 Luke records the apostle Peter making an interesting point for us concerning The Holy Spirit and His divinity.
"1But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession,/And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles' feet./But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?/Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God." Here we see Peter saying that Ananias and his wife Sapphira had decided together to lie to God whom Peter said was the Holy Ghost.
It was good for me to see your reference to "The Lord our God is One." while at the same time referring to the creation and how God said "Let us make man in our image," and again, "So God made man in His own image." Thus we see that there is plurality in the oneness of God.
Also John tells us that he wrote these things down so "that ye might elieve that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through His name." John 20:31 When asked whom do men say that I "Son of Man am", Peter answered, "thou art the Christ, the Son of The Living God." Scripture testifies of the divinity of Jesus, and alike of his humanity, as Jesus says that the Father left "all judgement to son, for that He is The Son of Man." Jesus according to John in 1 John 1, was seen and touched. "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; 2(For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) 3That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ." So then we see Jesus not only having flesh like all of Adam's children, but we also see Him again being liked with God as His Father.
Thus this discussion is a blessing to me. Thanks
Clinton marvellous Hignatious Moriah
Do we really understand the humanity of Christ? (Chapter 6)
The part I love the most in Dr Hanna’s Book is section three which deals with Christ .The chapter I love the most is “The theme of the Bible is Jesus.” Hanna has presented a solution to the debate on the post and pre-fall nature of humanity of the incarnated Christ. His solution is grounded in spirit of prophecy and scripture. Hanna believes that Christ was fully human and yet he was sinless. He states that “ Jesus restores human personhood in his human body and in the church which is his spiritual body”(pg 80) He argues that Christ humanity had pre-fall and post fall traits but he was unique. Unique is that he had a nature weakened by sin but didn’t possess sinful propensities .He presents Christ as like us yet “unique.” I agree with him but do we really understand the humanity of Christ? Can we? I think that an understanding of the humanity of Christ has great implications for Christian living. I think Christ had traits of post and pre-fall man but he was” unique” because he was fully man and fully God. Greek words like “monogenes” (Unique or only one of those kinds) and ‘prototokos” ‘the firstborn describe the uniqueness of his humanity.
Second, the conception of Christ and the manner of his birth was unique. The Greek word used in Luke 1:35 for overshadowed, “eperchomai”, refers to the Holy Spirit descending and operating in one. The act of moving and hovering over is similar to that of creation (Gen 1:2) Finally, Christ is the model of a new creation. His human nature is a bridge or ladder between Pre –fall man, post fall man and God. His nature is the model of God ideal intention for humanity. Pre fall man was created in the image of God. Pre – fall man was human and divine. This divine aspect was predicated on his relationship with God and his reproduction of God’s nature and character through pro-creation .The incarnated Christ is the model of God’s original creation. “Through his flesh open he has open a new living way.” (Heb 10:20)
His nature is the model of God ideal intention for human. The humanity of Christ is also illustrated in the Old Testament sanctuary but in my opinion,
the most powerful illustration of the uniqueness of Christ humanity and his model of a new creation is found in Jeremiah‘s experience in the potter’s house in chapter 18 of his book. .The clay vessel fell and was broken but the potter having the original pattern in mind make the same broken vessel over into his original plan. .The new vessel was the same but different. It reminds me of Christ and his church.
Clinton Marvellous Hignatious moriah
"The Theme of The Bible is Jesus"
Do we really understand the humanity of Christ? (Chapter 6)
The part I love the most in Dr Hanna’s Book is section three which deals with Christ .The chapter I love the most is “The theme of the Bible is Jesus.” Hanna has presented a solution to the debate on the post and pre-fall nature of humanity of the incarnated Christ. His solution is grounded in spirit of prophecy and scripture. Hanna believes that Christ was fully human and yet he was sinless. He states that “ Jesus restores human personhood in his human body and in the church which is his spiritual body”(pg 80) He argues that Christ humanity had pre-fall and post fall traits but he was unique. Unique is that he had a nature weakened by sin but didn’t possess sinful propensities .He presents Christ as like us yet “unique.” I agree with him but do we really understand the humanity of Christ? Can we? I think that an understanding of the humanity of Christ has great implications for Christian living. I think Christ had traits of post and pre-fall man but he was” unique” because he was fully man and fully God. Greek words like “monogenes” (Unique or only one of those kinds) and ‘prototokos” ‘the firstborn describe the uniqueness of his humanity.
Second, the conception of Christ and the manner of his birth was unique. The Greek word used in Luke 1:35 for overshadowed, “eperchomai”, refers to the Holy Spirit descending and operating in one. The act of moving and hovering over is similar to that of creation (Gen 1:2) Finally, Christ is the model of a new creation. His human nature is a bridge or ladder between Pre –fall man, post fall man and God. His nature is the model of God ideal intention for humanity. Pre fall man was created in the image of God. Pre – fall man was human and divine. This divine aspect was predicated on his relationship with God and his reproduction of God’s nature and character through pro-creation .The incarnated Christ is the model of God’s original creation. “Through his flesh open he has open a new living way.” (Heb 10:20)
His nature is the model of God ideal intention for human. The humanity of Christ is also illustrated in the Old Testament sanctuary but in my opinion,
the most powerful illustration of the uniqueness of Christ humanity and his model of a new creation is found in Jeremiah‘s experience in the potter’s house in chapter 18 of his book. .The clay vessel fell and was broken but the potter having the original pattern in mind make the same broken vessel over into his original plan. .The new vessel was the same but different. It reminds me of Christ and his church.
Post a Comment