IN THE MOMENT OF PRESENT TRUTH
"THE GODHEAD"
scottSTANLEY
That He may open the “perfectly sealed” book
And deliver you from all iniquity
10 And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for
the time is at hand.
Revelation 22:10
20 And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly…
Romans 16:20
28 For he will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness: because a
short work will the Lord make upon the earth.
Romans 9:28
12 ¶ Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these
things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth.
2 Peter 1:12
A SURE FOUNDATION
This study is Part 2 in our series entitled In the Moment of Present Truth.
I want to take concepts that I have carried for years and years, and bring them
into the moment of present truth. With all of the other things the Lord is
revealing to His church, I want to take the old and combine it with the new.
The study today is on the divinity of Christ – I want to call this The
Godhead Study. This is something… ever since I was a Christian, ever since
I was converted in 1979, I have been studying the divinity of Christ – that is
something all of us, I know, are interested in. But when I say “Godhead,” most
of us think Father, Son, Holy Spirit. Well, in this study, let’s key on
the Father and the Son… Let’s key on the Father and the Son. The
“Holy Spirit” study is something that we’ll look at next – right now, let’s key
on the Father and Son.
Jesus Christ is “divine” - Jesus Christ is God – I want to make that
clear from the very beginning. John 1:1 states: In the beginning was the
word, the word was with God, and the word was God. I think if I were to
paraphrase that, it would be: In the beginning was the word, the word was
with God, and the word was God, too. He also is God. Jesus Christ, the Son
of the living God, is divine and should be honored even as the Father is
honored. The foundation of the church is Jesus Christ, and that’s where I want
to begin. I want to ask you to turn in your bibles to Isaiah 28:16 and read
along with me. It’s important that you have your bibles open and that you read
these texts with me because we need that impression from the scriptures,
from God, as we read the scriptures. We need that impression to instill in us
the concepts that I’m getting ready to share with you.
Isaiah 28:16
16 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a
stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure [3245] foundation: he that
[believes] shall not make haste.
Now, look at that word “sure” – and I have put beside it the Strong’s number
[3245]. I want to turn to 2 Chronicles 3 and read verse 3:
2 Chronicles 3:3
3 Now these are the things wherein Solomon was instructed [3245] for the
building of the house of God. The length by cubits after the first measure was
threescore cubits, and the breadth twenty cubits.
Notice the word “instructed” – I have put [3245] beside that because this word
that we read in Isaiah 28:16 -- the sure foundation and 2nd
Chronicles 3:3, is translated “instructed.” What does that mean to us? Christ
is the only foundation given for God’s church and in Isaiah 28:16 we see He is
the “cornerstone,” but we see He is a “sure” foundation, or an instructed
foundation – now that’s important. What scripture can you think of that tells
us Christ was instructed – needed to be taught anything? Well, the first verse
that comes to my mind we’ll find in Hebrews, chapter 5 – starting in verse 7:
Hebrews 5:7-10
7 Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and
supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him
from death, and was heard in that he feared;
8 Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he
suffered;
9 And being made perfect, he [came to be] the author of eternal salvation unto
all them that obey him;
10 ¶ Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec.
The scriptures are plain, that Christ, though He were a Son, yet learned He
obedience -- He is the instructed foundation; the founded
foundation. He learned obedience through the things which He suffered. Now,
listen to what he said: And being made perfect, He came to be the
author of eternal salvation. Christ’s suffering was through His humanity.
To say that He was made complete through the suffering implies He wasn’t
complete before He became a man. Think of a grain of corn planted in the ground
and how it grows, how it’s “perfect” every day, yet it isn’t until it bears
fruit – it reaches a completed perfection. That is how we’ve got to
recognize Christ – the man never sinned; He was perfect in God’s eyes, yet,
He learned obedience through the things which He suffered, and being made
perfect, He became the author of eternal salvation unto all those that obey
Him.
What I’m telling you is the foundation for God’s church and yet, I think there
are many Christians out there who have never considered these scriptures – who
have never sat and thought through exactly what the Lord was trying to tell us.
GOD AND FATHER
I want to show you where this leads, again, recognizing the divinity of Christ,
but also recognizing He had not reached a completed perfection. When I
talk about a completed perfection, I am speaking of the “inward” man –
I’m not talking about his physical makeup, because He learned
obedience through the things which He suffered, you see? That is dealing
with the inward man. Now, let me show you some texts concerning
the divinity of Christ -- let’s start with Ephesians 1:3:
Ephesians 1:3, 17
3 ¶ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who [has]
blessed us with [every] spiritual [blessing] in heavenly places in Christ:
[Notice the beginning: Blessed be the God and Father of
Christ -- verse 17:]
17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give
unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:
Ephesians 4, starting at verse 4:
Ephesians 4:4-6
4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as [you’re] called in one hope of
your calling;
5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism,
6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, through all, and in you
all.
Consider with me: Jesus Christ is the word of God; He was with God and He also
is God. But on the other hand, the apostles taught He has a God,
and that there is one God – the Father. Now, before I go on, let’s look
at some more texts dealing with the fact that Jesus Christ has a God:
1 Peter 1:3
3 ¶ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which
according to his abundant mercy [has] begotten us again unto a [living] hope by
the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
Look at Revelation, chapter 3, verse 12 – Christ is speaking:
Revelation 3:12
12 Him that [overcomes] will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, he
shall go no more out: [I’ll] write upon him the name of my God, the name
of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which [comes] down out of
heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.
The gospel of John, chapter 20, verse 16:
John 20:16-17
16 Jesus [said] unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and [said], Rabboni; which
is to say, Master.
17 Jesus [said] unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father:
but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your
Father; and to my God, and your God.
Now, back to Hebrews, looking at Hebrews 1:8:
Hebrews 1:8-9
8 But unto the Son he [says], Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a
sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.
9 [You have] loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even
thy God, [has] anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.
I have read to you scriptures bearing the testimony of the apostle Paul, Peter
and Christ Himself, and the Father stating that Jesus Christ has a God and that
God is His Father… and that may help us better understand what we read in
Ephesians 4, that there is one God, the Father; there is one Lord, one faith
– see? There is one way to see this.
SUBMISSION
Let’s read another text that shows us the “one God” and “the Lord Jesus
Christ.”
1 Corinthians 8:6-7
6 But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in
him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.
7 ¶ Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge: …
Now, I have been told if Christ is called “Lord,” that that is equivalent to
God, but let’s take this idea: There is one God, the Father, and one Lord
Jesus Christ, and read Acts 2:36:
Acts
36 Therefore let all the house of
Jesus Christ is “Lord” and “Christ” because God, the Father, made Him so.
That implies submission on the part of the Son – the Son of God has a God, and
it’s His Father. The Father made Jesus both Lord and Christ – what does
“Christ” mean? “Christ” means (it’s Greek) – it means Anointed One.
The Hebrew of it is “Messiah.” Greek is “Christ”; English – “Anointed,” the
Anointed One. Our Father in heaven has made Jesus both Lord and the Anointed
One. There is one God, the Father, and one Lord, Jesus Christ. The God
of Jesus is His Father. I said, at the beginning of this study, that Jesus
Christ is divine; He is God, and we should honor Him even as we honor the
Father. But in their sphere, between the two of them – the Father and the Son –
you will always see the Son worship and submit to the Father. You’ll never see
the Father submitting to the Son, or worshipping His Son. As we view them from
our earthly perspective, looking at it through sinful flesh, we would honor them
the same – we would worship them. But again, in their sphere, there is
but one God—the Father; and there is one Lord—Jesus Christ.
Let’s turn to Colossians 2, reading verse 9:
Colossians 2:9
9 For in him [dwells] all the fulness of the Godhead bodily [speaking about the
Son of God, of course]. [But look at chapter 1, verse 19:]
Colossians 1:19
19 … it pleased the Father that in him should all [the] fulness dwell;
Again, what do we have? Confirmation from what Luke told us in Acts, in Peter’s
sermon, that God has made Jesus both Lord and Christ. In Christ dwells
all the fullness of the Godhead bodily, why? Because it pleases the
Father to do so. I want to show you another “submission” scripture in 1
Corinthians 15 -- starting at verse 26:
1 Corinthians 15:26-28
26 The last enemy that [should] be destroyed is death.
27 For he [has] put all things under his feet. But when he [says] all things
are put under him, [it’s] manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things
under him.
28 And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also
himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all
in all.
Here is a scripture telling us that the Son of God will be subject to His Father
throughout all eternity. Is the Son absolutely equal to His Father? The
answer to that is: No. Again, in our eyes we honor them the same; between the
two of them, in the sphere in which they live, the Father is the God of
Jesus Christ, and the Son will always be subject to His Father.
There is a major difference between understanding the Father and the Son –
looking at the Godhead, I want to read a text for you found in Romans, chapter
8, starting at verse 9. You really need to pay close attention to what Paul
brings out here – Romans 8, verse 9:
Romans 8:9-11
9 But [you] are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be the Spirit of God
[dwells] in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of
his.
10 ¶ … if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is
life because of righteousness.
11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead [dwells] in you,
he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken [or give life to]
your mortal bodies by his Spirit that [dwells] in you.
What do you see there? Three levels of being: Now if any man have not the
Spirit of Christ, he’s none of His – level one. Level two – If you have
the Spirit of Christ, your body is dead because of sin but your spirit is alive
because of righteousness . Level three – But if the Spirit of Him that
raised Christ from the dead dwells in you, He that raised Christ from the
dead will also give life to your mortal body. Consider what I’m saying
because this is huge! This idea of understanding the Son of God, possessing the
“Spirit of Christ,” is different than possessing the “Spirit of the Father.”
Even though Christ possesses the fullness of God, He is the fullness of the
Godhead bodily -- you can have an understanding of Him and still not see the
Father, but when the Spirit of the Father dwells in you, it will bring life
even to your mortal body. Consider that – hold your arm out and look at
your flesh…. That’s your mortal body and Paul has just told us: The Spirit
of God…possessing the Spirit of the One who raised Christ from the dead,
gives life even to your mortal flesh.
STANDING ON
We began this study looking at Isaiah 28:16: I lay in
Revelation 14:1
1 ¶ I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on
However you see the “144,000” right now makes no difference. I think we can
agree that they will be, eventually, the last church on this planet – God’s
last church. The 144,000 will be alive at the second coming of Christ –
they will not see death; they stand on
Suddenly, this study, the Godhead, takes on a whole new meaning – a whole new
meaning of importance! We are near the end – the Lord, Jesus Christ, is very
soon to come and He will have a people who recognize God is His Father
and He is truly the Son of God, born in eternity past. I want to
read a text found in Colossians that, I think, points this out readily. Let’s
begin reading in Colossians 1, verse 12:
Colossians 1:12-17
12 ¶ Giving thanks unto the Father, which [has] made us meet [or able]
to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:
13 Who [has – (past tense) already] delivered us from the [authority –
King James has put “power.” It’s the authority of darkness...], and
[has] translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:
14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins:
15 Who is the image of the invisible God [Who is the image of the invisible
God], the firstborn of every creature:
16 For [or, Because] by him were all things created, that are in heaven,
that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions,
or principalities, or [authorities]: all things were created by him, and for
him:
17 … he is before all …, and by him all things consist.
How does that say He was “born” in eternity past? He is the firstborn
of every creature, for by Him were all things created. God created all things
through Jesus Christ – Ephesians 3:9, but Christ is the firstborn. If He
wasn’t born until
DELIVERED BY LOVE
You’ve got to see that He is the Son of God. We just read that through Christ
we have forgiveness of sin – through the blood of Christ we have forgiveness
of sin. Redemption – we are redeemed through His blood, and that is what I
want to key on right now. Why is it important that we understand Jesus Christ
to be the Son of the living God – the Son of the living God?
Let’s turn to Romans 5 – reading verse 8:
Romans 5:8
8 … God [commends] his love toward us, …
That word “commendeth” is [4921] and it means to exhibit. God
exhibits His love toward us in that while we were sinners, Christ died for
us. Think it through: God the Father exhibits His love for you by allowing
Christ to die. Let me ask you a question: What would be easier to
sacrifice, your life or the life of your only child? It’s easier for you
to die yourself than to turn and allow your only child to die. God exhibits His
love for us in that Christ died. The same concept is brought out in Romans 8,
verse 32:
Romans 8:32
32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he
not with him also freely give us all things?
See, there’s the concept: For God so loved the world, He gave His only
begotten Son. If you make Jesus Christ anything other than the
Son of the living God, then you’re still in your sin, because it is that truth
that will deliver you from the “old man” – from the sin nature. Again,
the “sin nature,” we discussed in The Introduction study – having that
feeling of “no value”; recognizing that you’re born into this world – you do not
know God… You don’t know your value to God. Someone may tell you “God
loves you,” but you still don’t understand the value He places on you. It is
that value that He places on you that begins to fill the vacuum created by not
knowing how much He loves you, and the value He places on you. You have a
vacuum…you try to fill the void by reaching for anything around you, whether
it’s alcohol, sex, drugs, money – whatever it is, you find those things that
give you value. That’s why you marry who you marry…they make you feel good
about yourself. They either tell you that you’re handsome, beautiful, rich,
smart, creative – they feed you what your heart is longing for. “Value”
– you need something to give you value, so our heavenly Father commends His love
– He exhibits His love for you in that while you’re a sinner, Christ dies.
He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all…see, there’s
that concept – He that spared not His own Son.
If our heavenly Father was willing to allow His Son to die in order to show you
how much He loves you, then that should be telling us that we are as valuable to
God as Jesus Christ is! God loves you as if you were His only
birthed child. That understanding, having it become more than just
simply an intellectual understanding, but allowing our heavenly Father to
impress you Himself that this is truth, will slay the “old man” – will slay the
sin nature and deliver you from the need of finding fulfillment in the
things around you.
1 Corinthians 15 tells us that when the kingdom is delivered up, not only will
the Son be subject to the Father, but God will be all in all. God will
be all – He will fill every crevice of the heart when we begin to open
up, recognizing He gave His only begotten Son to convince me of His love.
I want to tell you a story, a parable concerning my children. If my children (I
have two little girls)… if they were out in the front yard playing and someone
came in, a stranger came in and killed one of them, you would see an instant
retaliation on my part. But what if one child killed the other? You would see
a totally different response from me – why? Because I love them both the
same – I would be heart-broken that one child was dead, but on the other
hand, I would do everything I could to protect the one who killed the other,
because I love them both the same. That is what happened at
John 17:22-23
22 And the glory which [you gave] me I have given them; that they may be one,
even as we are one:
23 I in them, and [you] in me, that they may be made [complete] in one; and
that the world may know that [you have] sent me, and [have] loved them, as [you
have] loved me.
God, the Father, loves us as much as He loves Jesus, and it is recognizing that
Jesus is the Son of God that helps us see the passion of a Father’s love,
in that He is willing to allow that Son to die to show you there’ll be no
retaliation here.
A FATHER’S PASSION
Now, I was always told, all my Christian life: Christ died so God could
forgive me. Well, let’s look at Matthew 18. In Matthew 18, there is the
parable of “the unforgiving servant.” I want to begin reading at verse 21:
Matthew 18:21-32
21 ¶ Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how [often] shall my brother sin
against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?
22 Jesus [said], I say not unto [you], Until seven times: but, Until seventy
times seven.
23 Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would
take account of his servants.
24 And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him
ten thousand talents.
25 But forasmuch as he had [nothing] to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold,
and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment be made.
26 The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have
patience with me, and I will pay [you] all.
27 Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and
forgave him the debt.
28 … the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed
him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat,
saying, Pay me [what you owe].
29 And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have
patience with me, and I will pay [you] all.
30 And he would not: but [he] went and cast him into prison, till he should pay
the debt.
31 So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came
and told their lord all that was done.
32 Then his lord, after he had called him, said, O [you] wicked servant, I
forgave [you] all that debt, because [you desired] me:
Before I read this, who paid that debt owed the man’s lord? Nobody paid
it… the lord simply forgave it. Now, let’s keep going:
Matthew 18:33-35
33 [Should not you] also have had compassion on [your] fellowservant, even as I
had pity on [you]?
34 … his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should
pay all that was due unto him.
35 So likewise shall my heavenly Father do unto you, if [you] from your [heart]
forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.
Now consider the parable we just read: Christ applies the parable to His
heavenly Father and the sinner. The sinner owes God a debt – he can’t pay it,
but when he cries out, “Forgive me,” the Father forgives him…and he says in
Matthew 18:32: I forgave you that debt because you desired me, not
because someone else is going to come in your behalf and pay Me back. He
never says that – that principle is not in the scripture, and yet we have
been told all of our lives: Christ died to appease an angry God. This
parable states otherwise. The Father did not need a payment in order to look at
you and say, “I forgive you.” When you cry unto God with all of your heart, the
Father will grant you that forgiveness, and nobody has to pay a debt for you.
The Son of God did not die for the Father’s payment. The Son of God died to
exhibit God’s love toward you, to fill the emptiness of the human heart; to help
you know assuredly God loves you as much as He loves His only birthed Son.
And again, if you make Christ anything other than the Son of the living God,
you take away the passion of a Father’s love. It’s recognizing the passion
that God had for His only birthed Son, that He was willing to endure the
suffering He saw His Son go through in order to convince you of His
love for you.
Are you a parent? Do you recognize the love, the passion you have for your own
children? I challenge you: Go to the Lord in prayer. Get on your knees before
your heavenly Father and recognize that passion of love you have for your
children, He has for Christ, and if He was willing to allow Christ to die, then
that passion of love He has for you – and it is that passion of love that will
slay the “old man” in you… turn your sin nature around from the “I don’t have
any value to God…God needs a human sacrifice before I can have value” – He will
turn you from that to the fact that, in order to bring many sons to glory,
He allowed His only birthed Son to endure even the death of the cross.
Stand with me at the foot of that cross – look at the death of the Son of God,
recognizing what is actually going on, recognizing what happened that day as the
apostle John did, standing there with Mary, the mother of Christ. John was the
only one of the apostles who stood at the foot of the cross and saw the death of
the Son of God, and it was to that man the Revelation was given – Revelation 1:
This is the revelation which God gave unto Jesus, who signified it and gave
it to His angel, who gave it to His servant John. The Revelation was given
to the apostle John because he was the one who saw the death – he is the
symbol of the last generation church who can have the courage to look at the
truth of
CLOSING REMARKS
I challenge you to go through these studies with me with an open heart, and
allow the Lord Jesus Christ to minister to you by His Spirit – and be a part of
this last day army that the Lord is calling out, that will stand in His truth.
You know, I get this picture of Christ standing there, bleeding and broken
because He said He is the Son of God – and across from Him are
Caiphas and Pilate, putting Him to death for that very thing. Where are you
going to stand? I choose to stand with Christ, and to suffer the reproach that
comes on a man who claims Jesus is the Son of the living God. I
can go into any denominational church and say, “Jesus is the Son of God” and
they’ll say, “Amen.” But if I say, “No, He really is the Son of God,”
there isn’t a single denominational church that would accept me into
their fellowship. It is a travail, a wrestling that we go through concluding
these truths, but when you stand faithful and firm in the assurance that Jesus
is the Son of God, He is standing with you in a way you have never experienced
before. Are there a “Father” and a “Word” and a “Holy Spirit” that bear record
in heaven? Absolutely. Are they “one”? Absolutely. But John
Remember what we read in Colossians 1, I believe it was verse 15, that Christ is
the image of the invisible God. Well, I want to conclude this study in 1
Timothy, chapter 6, verse 13:
1 Timothy 6:13-16
13 ¶ I give thee charge in the sight of God, who [quickens] all things, and
before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession;
14 That [you] keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the
appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ:
15 Which in his times he [will show], who is the blessed and only [Authority
– King James put “Potentate.” … The only Authority…], the King of kings,
and Lord of lords;
16 Who only [has] immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach
unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power
everlasting. Amen.
“… Whom no man hath seen, nor can see” – the “invisible God, the Father of
all.” John 17:3 – For this is life eternal, that they might know You, the
only true and living God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. Let our
hearts be open to receive the truth as it is in Jesus.
-*-*-*-
Ascending from the east
Having the seal of the living God