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WHO
IS JESUS?
"The LORD possessed
(created) me in the
beginning of his way, before his works of old.
I was set up from everlasting, from the
beginning, or ever the earth was.
When there were no depths, I was brought
forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water.
Before the mountains were settled, before the
hills was I brought forth:
While as yet he had not made the earth, nor
the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world.
When he prepared the heavens, I was there:
when he set a compass upon the face of the depth:
When he established the clouds above: when he
strengthened the fountains of the deep:
When he gave to the sea his decree, that the
waters should not pass his commandment: when he
appointed the foundations of the earth:
Then I was by him, as one brought up with him:
and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him."
(Proverbs 8:22-30)
Who
Was Jesus Before He Became A Human Being?
What a beautiful
description is given of Jesus as a spirit being before he was "made
flesh." His name was the "Logos" or God's mouthpiece, or
Word.
"In the beginning
was the Word (Logos) and the Word was with the God and a god was the Word.
(Interlinear Diaglott translation of John 1:1) Unfortunately many versions
of the Bible give the thought that the Word was God.
Jesus was the "beginning
of the creation of God" (Revelations 3:14), the "firstborn of
every creature" (Colossians 1:15). He was the direct creation of
the Father, and spoken of as the "only begotten of the Father."
(John 1:14) The Apostle Paul tells us that Jesus was the active agent
of Jehovah in all the creative work: "For by him were all things
created, that are in heaven, and 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."-Colossians 1:16
Referring to Jesus,
God "Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath
appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds."-Hebrews
1:2
Who
Could Become A Ransom For Adam?
When Adam sinned
and condemned future generations to be born in sin, a "ransom"
or corresponding price had to be provided to release mankind from condemnation
and guarantee restoration of all that was lost.
Jehovah could not
become the ransom, because a corresponding price called for the death
of a perfect human being. God was divine, and could not die.
Angelic beings likewise
could not satisfy God's justice.
Only a being willing
to give up his glorious spirit nature and become a human and sacrifice
his life as "a ransom for all" would be acceptable.
Jesus' pre-human
life is referred to in Philippians 2:5-9 (Revised Standard Version). "Have
this mind among yourselves, which you have in Christ Jesus, who, though
he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to
be grasped, but emptied (Greek, 'divested') himself, taking the form of
a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human
form he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on
a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him…"
As a perfect man
he suffered Adam's penalty, thus releasing Adam and his posterity from
the curse of death.
"For since through
a Man there is Death, through a Man also, there is a Resurrection of the
Dead; for as by Adam All die, so by the Anointed also, will All be restored
to life."-1 Corinthians 15:21,22 (Diaglott).
Was
Jesus Equal To His Father?
Jesus, during his
life on earth, always re-mained subordinate to his Heavenly Father.
"For Ihave not
spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment,
what I should say, and what I should speak."-John 12:49
"… I go
unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I."-John 14:28
However, a wonderful
spirit of oneness existed between Jesus and his Heavenly Father, for he
declared: "I and my father are one." (John 10:30) In the 17th
chapter of John, Jesus prayed that his church would experience this same
oneness with God, a oneness of purpose.
"That they all
may be one; as thou Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may
be one in us; that the world may believe that thou has sent me."
-John 17:21
The scriptural understanding
of Jesus as the beloved and only begotten Son of the Heavenly Father gives
us a greater appreciation of him and his great sacrifice.
Just before his death,
Jesus prayed: "And now, Father, glorify me with thine own self, with
the glory which I had with thee before the world was."-John 17:5
Because of Jesus'
faithfulness, at his resurrection, the Heavenly Father did more than restore
his Son to his former position of glory in the heavenly realm - He exalted
him to the divine nature.
"Who being the
brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding
all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our
sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high. Being made so
much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more
excellent name than they."-Hebrews 1:3,4
After his resurrection,
Jesus told his disciples "All power is given unto me in heaven and
in earth."-Matthew 28:18
In due time, and
in accordance with his Father's plan, the beloved Son of God will exercise
this power to bring about the great work of restitution. "And he
shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: Whom heaven
must receive (retain) until the times of restitution of all things …"-Acts
3:20,21
What a glorious outlook!
SUMMARY:
Jesus existed as
a spirit being before he was made flesh.
At that time he was
known as a god, or mighty one.
He was the direct
creation of God, the "Only Begotten." As Jehovah's representative,
and in His name and through His power, Jesus created all things -angels,
principalities and powers, as well as the earthly creation.
Jesus voluntarily
gave up his position and nature to be made flesh and become our Redeemer.
Because of Jesus'
faithfulness, his Father rewarded him with the divine nature.
It is this great
One whom we delight to honor and to worship and to serve as one with the
Heavenly Father, in word and in purpose and in spirit.
WHO
OR WHAT IS THE "HOLY SPIRIT"?
The word "spirit"
in the Old Testament is a translation of the Hebrew word "ruach",
the root meaning of which is "wind." In the New Testament, also,
the word "spirit" comes from a root meaning "wind"-
the Greek word "pneuma."
These two words are
also translated "breath", "mind", "life",
meaning an invisible power or influence.
Unfortunately these
words were incorrectly translated "Ghost" in the King James
Bible. In the American Standard Version the term "Holy Ghost"
does not appear.
The holy Spirit is
described in the Bible as "The Spirit of God," "The Spirit
of Truth," "The Spirit of Love," "The Spirit of a
Sound Mind," "The Spirit of Christ," "The Spirit of
Holiness," etc.
The title "holy
Spirit" describes the mind of God - His power or sanctifying influence.
"The Spirit
of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel
to the poor."-Luke 4:18
How
Does The Holy Spirit Operate?
The prophet Isaiah,
in speaking prophetically of Jesus, describes the operation of God's holy
Spirit. "And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit
of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit
of knowledge and of the fear (reverence) of the LORD."-Isaiah 11:2
Our Lord Jesus received
wisdom and power by an outpouring of the holy Spirit at his baptism (Matthew
3:16), and his faithful followers desire to have the mind or spirit of
Christ.
"Let this mind
be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus…"-Philippians 2:5
"For who hath
known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the
mind of Christ." -1 Corinthians 2:16
"Now if any
man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his."-Romans 8:9
Another use of the
word spirit is in the sense of generative power, as in Genesis 1:2: "And
the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters." The spirit
or power of God, His energy, rendered the waters fruitful, prolific.
Similarly, the "Holy
men of God (prophets) spake and wrote as they were moved by the holy Spirit."
(2 Peter 1:21 - Diaglott translation) The holy Spirit of God influenced
their minds, causing them to bring forth thoughts which God wished to
have expressed.
Also, the skilled
workmen who were selected by Moses to build the Tabernacle, were brought
under the influence of the divine power to energize their natural faculties
without affecting them in any moral sense. "And Moses said unto the
children of Israel, See, the LORD hath called by name Bezaleel …
And he hath filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding,
and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship…Them hath he
filled with wisdom of heart, to work all manner of work … "-Exodus
35:31-35
In Numbers 11:17-25
we are told that Jehovah endowed Moses and the elders with His spirit
for judging Israel's affairs.
In the same manner
God's spirit was with the kings of Israel, so long as they were loyal
to him. (1 Samuel 11:6) Notice that in the case of Saul (1 Samuel 16:13,14),
because of unfaithfulness, this spirit of wisdom departed from him and
was conferred upon David.
Holy Spirit Not Yet
Given
However, no manifestation
of the spirit of God, prior to the first advent of Jesus, was the same
as the manifestation and operation of God's spirit upon Jesus-from his
baptism to his crucifixion, and upon the Church of Christ at Pentecost
until now. "The Holy Spirit was not yet given (except to Jesus) because
Jesus was not yet glorified."-John 7:39
Gifts
Of The Spirit
1 Corinthians 12:4-11
lists some of the gifts of the spirit: "Now there are diversities
of gifts, but the same Spirit." These gifts were given to the early
Church by the holy Spirit, but there is a difference between God's power,
His spirit, and these gifts. The Apostle Paul explained in 1 Corinthians
13:8 that a time would come when some of these gifts (prophecy and tongues)
would cease. These gifts were necessary at the inauguration of the Church,
but became unnecessary after the Church had been established.
Now, instead of having
such gifts miraculously bestowed, the operation of God's spirit or power,
is upon the minds of those who have consecrated their lives to serve the
Lord. The Apostle Paul urges the Church to develop spiritual gifts - "But
the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness,
goodness, faith, meekness, temperance…"-Galatians 5:22,23
This same holy Spirit
or influence of God will operate during the establishment of His Kingdom
on earth to bring the world into harmony and unity with the principles
of righteousness.
SUMMARY
The Spirit of God,
or holy Spirit is the divine will, influence or power of God exercised
in many ways, using various agencies to accomplish various results:
In the creation of
the world.
To influence the
servants of the past.
In the development
of the Church.
To bring the world
of mankind back into harmony with God according to His plan of salvation.
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