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THE JESUS PARADOX

By Derrick Gillespie INTRODUCTION: A paradox is a reality that seems self-contradictory, and yet in the end defies all logic and turns out to be true. Jesus Himself embodies or personifies the very essence of a paradox, as he Himself is a living paradox, as it were. Every aspect of His being and existence is the exact copy of the very essence of the Father Himself (Heb. 1:2, 3), who, interestingly, had declared in paradoxical terms that I Am that I Am, or I will be what I will be, or better yet, I will be all that is necessary as the occasion will arise. Incidentally, how Jesus can be clearly said in the Bible to be "the exact copy" of Gods very being, and be rejected as divine by some demonstrates the total blindness that some wish to experience, but this isn't the paradox I am talking about. That is just an irony!! Irony of ironies, if you ask me! The paradox of Jesus is this! From being the totally unexpected type of Messiah most Jews never conceived as the son of Man, to being eventually revealed the fully divine Son of God many today cannot understand, or logically wrap their minds around, i.e. in His relation to the Father depicted as the one true God, Jesus continues to defy all logic and all presuppositions! And even today many break themselves against him, against the truth about Him, and against the wonder that is the paradox of Jesus! In this presentation I will reveal the nature of the modern paradox that Jesus is, and why many go astray, or lose their way, and why LOGIC fail many of them to understand! As Isaiah (in Isaiah 52:10, 13-15 and Isaiah 53:1, 2) appropriately described the future incarnated Jesus as the the arm of the Lord (i.e. as if he's one in very being with Jehovah), the prophet Isaiah made it plain that Jesus will astonish the brightest and the best, even kings will be totally astonished to realize that things that were never before considered as logical, or possible, Jesus would force them to stop and rethink! kings shall shut their mouths at him [or will be dumbfounded]: for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider. - Isaiah 52:15 Thats the very nature of a paradox! We know this is talking about Jesus, because the same theme of Gods own holy arm being described as a person, a servant, who will be exalted and be very high, despite literally seen as the most marred among men (Is. 52:10, 13,14), this theme runs right over into the entire following chapter of Isaiah 53. As Acts 8:26-35 makes plain, the Holy Spirit enlightened Jews, who were the first Christians, were led of God to CLEARLY see this Isaiah 53 prophecy as applying to their long awaited Messiah! Here the first paradox revealed itself, because the Jews had expected a conqueror, and a king upon his arrival; one who would defeat their oppressors (principally the Romans at the time) and restore immediately (or so they thought) the kingdom of Israel to its former glory! Instead they were presented initially with a simple servant! A suffering Messiah! A Messiah who would eventually die! And still, from all appearances, the Romans would be left in control over them. Thus, the Jews rejected Him as the one 1

they expected, and despite he was predicted (in Is.53:9, 11, 12) to be thereafter resurrected, as proof that he was indeed the One prophesied of, and the One who would then eventually justify many, be their advocate, and then restore all things, yet they were too blinded by their own presuppositions to be able to see past themselves and their own logic. And so no wonder Jesus cried/wept over the nation of Israel, and no wonder many of them were rejected by God (Matt. 23:37-37) because they rejected Jesus, the very saving arm of Jehovah; the one presented as if one in very being with God, as the TRUE Son of God, divine like Himself, and equal with Him in nature (John 5:18, 23; John 10:33). Today, the same danger presents itself to many of us (not just Jehovahs Witnesses, et al), and despite the past example of the Jews, yet many will walk the same road as the unbelieving Jews; as it concerns the paradoxes about Jesus being the divine arm of the Lord, the divine Son of the one true God (1 John 2: 23-26). Under the following headings (and more) I will reveal how the Jesus paradox plays out itself, in light of the Father being called the only Savior, the only Creator, the only Lord, the only supreme King, the only God, and the only one who rules eternally!!

THE PARADOX OF JESUS BEING THE SAVIOR All over the New Testament, Jesus is called the Savior (not just a Savior, but the, in specific terms), both while on earth as well as now while in heaven. Examples can be seen in John 4:42 and Phill. 3:20. But the paradox is that, how can this be if Isaiah 43:11 declares unreservedly that Jehovah is the only Savior, and none else beside Him? How can Jesus then be called the same Savior, and yet they are distinctly separate beings. Ah!! Paradoxical, yet not contradictory! The only way that is possible is if Jesus is the exact copy of His *Fathers+ being (Heb. 1:2, 3), and is the means by which the one true God is made known to be such to the world. In fact this is the only way that Moses was able to SEE the otherwise invisible God (Hebrews 11:24-29; John 1:18), because in all things Moses experienced about God he effectively viewed/experienced the same by way of Jesus operating on behalf of the invisible Father in all of the Old Testament (1 Cor. 10:1-4). It is a simple principle, easily seen when, for instance, a book is being published by an author! The one true original manuscript usually remains unseen to the public, but exact copies are published to reveal the essence of the original. And yet, the book remains the very one and the same book even as the exact copy is read. It is not more than one book, but simply distinct copies of the one family of the same properties. Thus any exact copy of the book must be related to exactly as one would relate to the original. They are as inseparable in function and nature just as Jesus is inseparable in nature and function from His Father. This explains why not only Jesus must be treated exactly as we would treat the Father, but explain perfectly why Jesus was so treated, and so seen by his disciples. Any exact copy of an original book manuscript is neither a false copy, nor a lesser copy of the book in nature! Neither can it be rejected as not the original book itself or not accepted in the same way as the original (as the Jews mistakenly thought)! So too it is with Jesus being the Savior! That is precisely how he must be treated just as if He is the unseen Original (e.g. John 20:28, 29; Acts 7:55-60), and hence explains why 1 John 2:23 makes it plain that to deny the Son is to equally deny the Father.

If the very essence of the Father is to be revealed as God in nature, as the Savior, as the Creator and Sustainer, as the King of Kings for all eternity, et al, so too must the Son (the exact copy of His very being) be likewise accepted as demonstrative of the very divine properties of the Father. Thats precisely why Jesus was revealed in imagery as the arm of Jehovah (Isaiah 53:1, 2), as if they are the one same being; to underscore the point that in the same way someones own/literal arm is not inferior in nature from the being in consideration, so too is Jesus in relation to the Father! And here now reveals the next mind blowing paradox, because while on earth, as a Man, Jesus kept pointing back to the Father as being all the things he was being deemed to be by his disciples and the New Testament writers. Is this contradictory in itself? No! Only paradoxical! Thats precisely how any exact copy of an original works!! It was the original book manuscript by an author (the one that remains unseen to the readership) that gave (as it were) any exact copy of it all of its features and properties, or the sum total of its nature, and hence why Jesus LOGICALLY pointed back to His Father as the one true God, but then IMMEDIATELY united himself with the Father (John 17:3) as the the exact copy that was sent and meant to reveal the Father (John 14:9), and hence be treated exactly as the Father Himself. And yet, this does not mean two Gods, any more than an exact copy of any book means it is more than the one same book; its just two distinct specimens of the very same species, or class, or family. Likewise, Jesus being God in nature like the Father, does not two Gods make; simply two persons of the one divine nature, the one divine specie, the one divine family, who are operating together to be the one same thing. THE PARADOX OF JESUS BEING DIVINE WHILE A MAN "If Jesus was God in nature while on earth, how could he die, since God is immortal? If Jesus was God in nature while on earth, how could he point to the Father as greater than he? If Jesus was God in nature while on earth how could he be tempted with sin, since God should not be even considered as being able to sin? If Jesus was God in nature on earth, how could he be human at the same time, since the two natures in combination seem incompatible to say the least? Impossible!!" These are the type questions and exclamations usually heard coming from those existing in the state of being dumbfounded over the things uttered/ written about Jesus (Isaiah 52:15). And it speaks to the awesomeness of the PARADOX that is Jesus. If NOTHING is impossible with God (Matt.19:26), then why should this belief be then denied once it relates to Gods divine Son? It is precisely in the life and ministry of Jesus that the Father demonstrates that what seems impossible to the universe of onlookers (angels and humans alike) yet it is precisely the opposite to Him. For God to accomplish the seemingly impossible, i.e. in a divine being becoming man, in a divine being facing temptation and could definitely sin, or worse, in a divine being dying for us (and seemingly leaving the universe without a sustainer), et al, then it means that God-hood or divinity could not be held only by one being!! That ultimate reality is imaged in Man (Gen. 1:26, 27), in which humanity (a reflection of divinity) is not held by just one person, but by two differing roles of persons, and also held by all persons of humanity (i.e. Adams Seed) resulting from them both in unison (a threefold arrangement). It therefore demonstrates the very wisdom of Jehovah Himself in
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having Jesus being the exact copy of His being/person (Heb. 1:2, 3) before becoming man. Thus when Jesus became man, and eventually died, the Father could/would continue sustaining the universe (through His power residing in the Holy Spirit), which Jesus Himself was doing before that on His behalf. Amazing! This is the very nature of the all wise God, to even anticipate, from all eternity past, what the very nature of the universe needed, and what even His own nature needed to be (Micah 5:2; Heb. 9:14)! And hence God will never be bowled over by what is deemed impossible to us!! As already proven, in the same way one book can have a sent copy, an exact copy of itself, and yet remains the one same book in essence or nature, so too could God (John 17:3). The same way, the one same book could be published in different forms (e.g. printed, audio, online, etc.), and yet remain the one same book, with all copies and forms having the same name, so it is with God (Matt. 28:19). Now the truth about how God could accomplish the seemingly impossible in Jesus begins to emerge. Jesus came to reveal the qualities of the Father, but he came to us in a different form than the original (just as a previously printed book can either be published online, or in audio form, and yet it is the one same book being revealed). This is precisely what Philippians 2:5-8 makes plain. Jesus was, before coming to earth, in the form of God, and, as the exact copy of His being (Heb. 1:2, 3), it was only natural he was equal with God in nature as his pre-existent Son (Proverbs 30:4). But then here comes the miracle working power of God. The Father transformed his divine Son (the exact copy of Himself), who voluntarily gave up his glorious form of equality with Father, to be born as a man (through a virgin, mind you) and appear in another form; as a human, a servant, and one divested of His divine form, and superhuman qualities. All of that is God simply accomplishing what we would deem otherwise impossible, and hence fulfills the very words of Jesus that with God NOTHING is impossible! If Jesus was transformed into the "form" of Man, and was genuinely Man in nature, then correspondingly, if he was originally in the "form" of God, as "the exact copy of His [the Father's] person/being" (Heb. 1;2, 3), then he was genuinely God in nature BEFORE becoming Man. That is as plain as the nose on your face, and as bright as the sun!! Now just like a book, published in another form, yet remaining in essence the very same book in nature, and with the same name as the original, so too was Jesus in relation to the Father; despite appearing in a form that was not comely, nor appealing (Is. 53:1,2). That is precisely why Jesus was identified by His very own Father as Lord (Jehovah) the Creator (Heb. 1:1012), and also called O God by Him (Heb. 1:8), and recognized by Him as the one who owns his very own throne (John 16:15; Rev. 3:21; Rev. 22:1). And God Himself ordered angels to worship Him even while he was a man on earth (Heb.1:6; Rev. 19:10). Why? All true sons, no matter where they go, or may be, naturally inherited their fathers actual name (e.g. Gillespie), and their actual title (e.g. Mr.). That explains why Jesus, he being naturally and ALREADY called both Jehovah (Lord) and O God by the Father Himself (Heb. 1:8-12), thus even after becoming human both the very name "Kurios" or "Lord" or Jehovah, and the very title of "God" was STILL to be applied to Jesus even as a man (Is. 9:6; John 20:28,29). The principle remains the same when discerned through a published book, since all copies (exact copies) of the same
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book, bear the same name and title; even when sent in another form online, or being heard on a CD; no matter where they go or may be!! Thus Jesus, now existing in this new form of humanity, could indeed be tempted as a true human, could indeed be seen as lesser in status than His Father, could even die literally, and yet remain God in name (not the Father in person), and God in nature and prerogative; proven CLEARLY by the forgiving of sins by Him (Mark 2:7-12), by being worshiped as even approved by His own Father (John 20:28,29; John 5:23; Heb. 1:6) , and by being prayed to after his ascension, even though he remains a glorified human today in heaven (Acts 7:59, 60; Rev. 7:9,10; 1 Tim. 2:5). It is most interesting to note that Jesus had given up His superhuman abilities to work miracles while on earth, so it was through the Fathers power only that Jesus worked miracles (Luke 11:20; Matt. 12:28), and so notice that the Father Himself approved of Jesus declared prerogative or right to forgive sins by immediately healing the man Jesus forgave his sins (Mark 2:7-12). This was absolute proof from the Father Himself (!!) of Jesus claims to be God in nature to forgive sins. Astounding! And never forget, that even though all other human servants of God can be granted the power to work miracles just like Jesus, yet no other human could legitimately forgive sins (in contradiction to the blasphemous belief and practice of the Roman Catholic priests). Finally, how could Jesus literally die and be still deemed immortal? It is simple, and yet it is a truth missed by so many. All secondary-type sons of God on earth (i.e. human sons) are treated by God as if they are already immortali.e. they have passed from death to life (John 5:24-29), and so to God they will not even see death (John 8:51; John 11:23-27), despite literally dying as a man. This is because of their connection with God who assures them of resurrection, and who speaks of things not yet accomplished as if they already were. So why should this not also apply to Jesus as a man the one who is Gods very own, primary-type, or TRUE Son (not an adopted or created one), i.e. His only begotten Son from his very own being from everlasting or from all eternity (see Micah 5:2; Prov. 30:4; 1 Cor. 1:24; Proverbs 8:1, 2224)? Thus, despite Jesus, in human form, literally and completely died, yet he was so assured by God the Father of his resurrection, and he never seeing death in the ultimate sense, that he was still deemed as immortal and always alive even in death by His Father (Heb. 7:1-3; Rev. 2:8). Jesus was eventually resurrected by the Father, and upon his resurrection Thomas hence declared to HIM Jesus MY LORD AND MY GOD (not to another, or to them) Why? Thomas recognized and treated Jesus just as he would treat the Father who sent Him as being the exact copy of His very person; just like when we recognize any exact copy of our favorite book, and say, "Ah, my favorite book", and yet the book remains the one book in essence; not two!! That Jesus is divine, even while still today a glorified human, is the paradox of all paradoxes, that defies all logic and it stops the mouth of kings (Is. 52:15) when it is indeed finally understood! And this writer says Amen, and Amen.

THE PARADOX OF JESUS BEING SUBJECTED TO HIS FATHER Renowned scientist Isaac Newton is on record demonstrating the effects of the Jesus Paradox on his scientific logic (Is. 52:15), when he too sought to grapple with questions like, how could Jesus be deemed eternal when His Father begot Him at some point? How could Jesus be deemed fully divine, when Jesus declared, while on earth, that His Father is greater than he? How could Jesus be fully divine like His Father, yet he, while on earth, declared some things only his Father knew? And how could he be fully divine if he received all from His Father, and is always subject to Him? Thus Newton himself, like the kings of the earth (Is. 52:15), became dumbfounded by Jesus relationship to the Father, and upon contemplation (as recorded in a work known as Argumenta), he sought not only to CORRECTLY reject the erroneous Roman Catholic version of its Trinity explanation of God, but used LOGIC as his reason to also reject all of the Biblical and orthodox beliefs about Jesus as well. hence effectively throwing out the baby with the baby water. But this writer, who likewise rejects Roman Catholic Trinitarian heresy (i.e. its faulty explanation of the unity of the Three in Matthew 28:19), and one who deems Jesus NOT to be the same Being with the Father, since they are separate beings or persons in every way, yet am compelled by the paradox that is Jesus to still hold on to the Biblical truth without confusing it with Roman Catholicism. The two are not the same thing!! Roman Catholicism accepts some truths I endorse, while it denies others truths I must therefore rigorously oppose in in doing so. Roman Catholicism refuse to accept the separateness of the being of Jesus and the Father, yet the Bible does declare and proves them over and over to be separate. The Roman Catholic dogma correctly declares Jesus and the Father to be equal in nature (Heb. 1:2, 3; Col.2:9), yet it misleadingly downplays Jesus natural subjection to the Father, His Head in status! And yet the Bible declares (as imaged in all human families) that the Father is the Head of Christ (1 Cor. 11:3; Gen. 1; 26, 27) even while he is the exact copy of His *the Fathers+ very being, and even while he has ALL the FULLNESS of the divine quality (Col. 2:9). The Roman Catholic Church sadly portrays God in imagery as three heads of Jesus on one neck (depicting a monstrous looking divine unity). Yet the Bible shows only the Father as Head of Christ, and NO human body in imagery has more than one head on its neck. But, while this writer can join with Sir Isaac Newton in CORRECTLY rejecting Roman Catholicity, yet I MUST honestly part company with some of his other logic based findings by looking at the paradox that is Jesus as presented by the Bible ALONE!! First, let consider Jesus length of existence. Jesus was indeed brought forth by the Father, and his descent (John 3:16) from the Father as His TRUE Son is undeniable. And yet when we look closely at the Bibles way of depicting this truth we will see how the paradox will stop the mouth of Isaac Newton and his unfounded logic. God uses things that are eternal, and which existed along with his very being, and things which were not created, but sprang naturally from His eternal being, to depict Jesus as eternal like Jehovah himself. Gods power, his life, and his wisdom are deemed to be eternal aspects of His very being; aspects never properly considered as things created after him, but always existed along with Him. Now, lo and behold Jesus is not only called the eternal *everlasting+ life, but depicted as that eternal life which was with the Father (1 John 1:1-3). Here John in his epistle (or letter) depicts Jesus as the Logos or the Word depicted as the eternal life, but designated separately from the
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Father he was with. In addition, 1 Cor. 1:24 and Prov. 8:1, 22-24 depicts Jesus in imagery as the Wisdom and power of God, but notice carefully that in his goings forth (Micah 5:2) Jesus was already brought forth from everlasting or from time indefinite of from eternity!! And only Jehovah was also said to exist from time indefinite, or from everlasting (Ps. 90:2), and thus Jesus likewise existed alongside Jehovah Himself from everlasting or from eternity! Heb.7:1-3 also echoes this truth in imagery. Therefore Sir Isaac Newtons misplaced Argumenta remains debunked at the feet of the paradox that is Jesus. Secondly, Jesus while on earth had emptied Himself of divine glories and abilities (Phill. 2:5-8) in order to become a genuine human. And in this state he was naturally made lower in status than even the angels (Heb. 2:9), and so naturally as a man he could declare without any contradiction that my Father is greater than I. And yet paradoxically, that same Father declared Jesus, the Man, as his Fellow or Equal Associate (Zech. 13:7), and all counsels regarding human salvation was between them both (Zech. 6:12, 13). Amazing!! No wonder Jesus, as a man would be called not just the Mighty God (Is. 9:6), but also Counselor (Hebrew, yaats), since he also takes counsel with Jehovah. Here again Isaac Newton is twice debunked. Thirdly, Jesus while on earth depended completely on his Father for power to do all things superhuman, including work miracles, to read minds, to see into the future, etc. It was only natural, because, despite before becoming man he had all power and supernatural abilities, yet he had laid these aside and became our human Model, who would demonstrate how a true human depends upon the Father for all things, including any knowledge of the future. Now that Jesus has returned to His former glory, but as a glorified MAN (1 Tim. 2:5; Acts 17:30, 31; Dan. 7:13, 14; Phil. 3:20, 21), he is depicted once again as the storehouse of all knowledge, and as having the very mind of the Father (1 Cor. 2:10-12, 16; Is. 40:13, 14; Col. 2: 2, 3). And yet, while he now once again has all knowledge, TO EVEN BE OUR ULTIMATE JUDGE (Rom. 14:10; John 5:22), as forever human, and as forever our Elder brother and Model, he still depicts all revelation as being given to Him by His Father (Rev. 1:1). But why is Jesus forever depicting Himself, despite being the exact copy of His *the Fathers+ very being, as being given all things by the Father? A divine person or being is forever truthful, and Jesus will forever speak the ultimate truth. Heres what that truth is. As said before if the very essence of the Father is to be revealed as God in nature, as the Savior, as the Creator, as the King of Kings for all eternity, et al, so too must the Son (the exact copy of His being) be likewise accepted as demonstrative of the very divine properties of the Father. Thats precisely how any exact copy of an original works!! For instance, it was the original book manuscript by an author (the one that remains unseen to the readership) that gave (as it were) any exact copy of it all of its features and properties, or the sum total of its nature. This was why Jesus LOGICALLY pointed back to His Father as the one true God, but then IMMEDIATELY united himself with the Father (John 17:3) as the the exact copy that was sent and meant to reveal the Father (John 14:9), and hence be treated exactly as the Father Himself (John 20:28, 29). He today continues to do the same thing even in heaven. And yet, this does not mean two Gods, any more than an exact copy of any book
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means it is more than the one same book in nature; its just two distinct specimens of the very same species, or class, or family. Likewise, Jesus being God in nature like the Father, does not two Gods make; simply two persons of the one divine nature, the one divine specie, the one divine family, who are operating together to be the one same thing, but to the glory of God the Father! The Father remains the one true God; the original prototype of all divinity!! That truth remains undisturbed and forever settled in heaven!! Thus Sir Isaac Newton stands debunked forever, and all others like him who subscribe to his puny appeal to logic!! Isaiah 52:15 will forever stand as a witness to the paradox that is Jesus!

THE PARADOX OF JESUS BEING THE CREATOR Hebrews 2:17 makes it plain that Jesus was MADE in all things to be like his brethren, i.e. he (through the ultimate miracle) became in all things like us humans, who are basically CREATURES!! How then can Jesus be properly deemed the Creator, as the Father himself testified in Heb. 1:10-12, and as Paul described Him in Col. 1:16, 17, if he is numbered among human creatures? Herein lies another paradox! As already learnt, in the reality of Jesus (an originally divine being) miraculously becoming human, it therefore meant thereafter that all the seemingly impossible realities are accomplished literally and vicariously in/through him. Thus anything and everything DIRECTLY accomplished in the human Jesus is credited to the Father, just as if he himself accomplished it. Thus it was not just the human Jesus that was to be deemed to be the Savior, or the divine Sacrificial Lamb that died, but AMAZINGLY the Father is vicariously depicted as the same through Him (2 Cor. 5:19 and Acts 20:28 explains this mind-blowing truth). Thus the other truth of Jesus being originally the Creator and Sustainer involves the same principle, because we are not just seeing Jesus being the Creator, but the Father is deemed to be the same in/through Him (Acts 17:24-26) because it was Jesus who initially did it on his behalf (Heb. 1:2,3). Thus ultimately the human creature we know to be the human Jesus was originally our Creator on behalf of the Father!! No wonder the saved of earth will all recognize the equal role of both Father and Son as they lift their voices in praise and worship to both (Rev. 7:9, 10). Hallelujah to the Lamb, to the glory of God the Father!! THE PARADOX OF JESUS BEING KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS The Father is deemed the only Potentate (i.e. Supreme ruler) as King of kings and Lord of lords, and he is also deemed King eternal in 1 Tim. 6:14-16 and 1 Tim. 1: 17. This is a foundational truth seen in Exodus 15:18 and Ps. 145:13. Yet, lo and behold, not only is Jesus also called King of kings and Lord of lords in Rev. 17:14 and Rev. 19:16 (indicating that the same nature of supreme ruler-ship is inherent in Jesus), but Jesus dominion is likewise deemed an everlasting rule/dominion that will never end, as seen in Dan. 7:13, 14, and as finally pictured in Rev. 22:1. It cannot be denied that Jesus is not only pictured on the one Throne of universal dominion with the Father in Rev. 3:21, but he pictures himself as ALREADY given all power in Matt. 28:18, and hence ALREADY rules above all dominions in the entire universe (i.e. both on earth, in heaven, and anywhere and everywhere). This truth is made plain in 8

Ephesians 1:20-22. But some question, how can this be? if the Father is deemed the only Potentate (i.e. supreme Ruler), and is the King eternal.an indication that he will never take a vacation from being such? Here again the mind blowing paradox in the life of Jesus stops the mouth of kings (Is. 52:15). But the explanation is so simple once the big picture in the whole Bible is looked at. When a king has a son it means that his son is heir apparent to the throne. This means that this heir apparent has all rights to the throne, all rights to the supreme titles of the king, and all rights to the entire kingdom of the king; not as a favor, but as A NATURAL RIGHT (!!). Now, if Jesus is the only TRUE Son of the Father from everlasting (John 3:16;Micah 5:2; Prov. 30:4), if Jesus is Heir to all things (Heb. 1:2), and if he depicts himself as owing ALL that his Father owns in John 16:15, then the truth of Jesus being also deemed the same as the Father becomes easy to see. Not all kings wait until they die to pass on all they own (i.e. all titles, their throne, and their entire kingdom) to their heir apparent, and it certainly is not unknown among men for some kings to rule co-jointly with their sons, and so why should this reality be deemed impractical with Jesus and the Father who will both live eternally? The fact is that it is not only true that all royal offices and titles of the Father Jesus is supreme Heir to, and hence he has NATURAL RIGHT to their functions, but it is also true that God the Father, in his supreme unselfishness and supreme demonstration of love (1 John 4:16), has already decided to SHARE all these with his Son (Col. 1:19; Col. 2:9), even as he operates through Him as both Judge (John 5:23), and King of Kings and Lord of Lords (Rev. 17:14). In fact, even as the Executor of final punishments (Rev. 19:15) and as Giver of all rewards (Rev. 22:12) it is Jesus who operates on behalf of the Father, since he has all natural rights to these prerogatives as supreme Heir. Thus everything that the Father is to us from beginning to end, he has allowed Jesus to be the same to us in a family oneness and unity that many fail to understand. Thats why Jesus is also called Alpha and Omega or the first and last (Rev. 2:8), just as his Father is. What many people fail to understand is that the Father sees his Son so one with Himself that even when hes presented as the one King over the earth, and one King over the rest of the universe (since they are two different things), yet he shares this function in oneness with his own Son, even into eternity future!! Rev. 22:1, 3; Rev.3:21. This is the ultimate demonstration of true love and family unity that many cannot understand, and which could only be ultimately demonstrated by the God himself, the Author of true love!! If God used the human family of love on earth to be a faint demonstration of the nature of Original Family, then how do we expect that God and His Son would not be the best and original picture of unselfish love, of supreme cooperation, of supreme recognition of equality of nature among like beings; even while there is a reciprocation of loving leadership from the divine Father, and an equal loving submission of the Son of like nature; One who is naturally (by natural Heir-ship) allowed to rule alongside the Father without ever trying to usurp his ultimate Headship. Selfish human thought, and misguided teachers, picture the Father as operating in isolation and independence (with he not needing anyone), but the ultimate Author of love depicts himself in another way; i.e. always operating in an atmosphere of love, team cooperation, reciprocation, and he needing his Son (His personal Word), and His Son needing him. Thats love!! And it is this original blueprint that was imaged in Man, and it will never be otherwise. Now because Jesus became man and remains human even today (despite resurrected with a glorified body) he therefore still (since becoming man) has the Father as His God, as the second Adam, and as 9

our continued Model of a true human worshipper (Heb. 2:11, 12). Thats why today he is still the human Mediator (1 Tim. 2:5), why he will receive a kingdom before he returns as one like the son of man (Dan. 7:13, 14), why he returns as a man (Phill. 3:20, 21; Matt. 24:30). Thats why too, when he ceremonially turns over the earthly (!!) kingdom to the Father at the end (1 Cor. 15:24-28; Zech. 14:9), he will still be the second Adam or Christ handing it over, with the Father still as His God. And yet notice that Daniel 7:13, 14 shows Jesus will still have a kingdom and ruler-ship THAT WILL NEVER END (!!), just like the wider scope of reign of the Most High in Daniel 7:27!! So will Jesus give up a kingdom at the end? As the Messiah, certainly!! Confusing? No!! Many fail to remember that the earth is not the universe (just a speck in it), and the universe is not the earth. It is earth ALONE that was lost, that became the lost domain to Satan, and where death reigns! Jesus UNIVERSAL reign goes way beyond the earth. But as the second Adam, his role of restoring the previously lost human kingdom on earth (and the earthly throne of David, his Jewish ancestor) demands that he models this human behavior too; of ceremonially surrendering and subjecting all earthly dominion to the Father (Zech. 14:9). This is all part of the plan of redemption. Thus 1 Cor. 15:24-28 is a shift in focus from the Messiahs role of earths restoration to the eternal and unbroken rule of divinity, as centered in the Father!! Remember, Redemption is not just about lost humans, but about the lost earthly domain as well! And BOTH of these Jesus became human to save and restore to His Father! This reality, however, does not deny Jesus divinity, and it never will, since as divine co-ruler on the throne of the *WHOLE UNIVERSE, of innumerable galaxies, solar systems, worlds, etc. (Rev. 3:21; Rev. 22:1), and not just ruling over the redeemed earth with the saints, it is this natural right of his to rule the whole universe that will never end!! Dan. 7:14. By no stretch of the imagination could earth be the only place Jesus is allowed to rule as supernatural and universal Heir of the universal Father. But earth is only what he is pictured as returning ceremonially to the Father, since it was only earth that had the Enemies of the Father headquartered, that had death reigning, and which had the human Jesus operating on behalf of Man to rescue their lost domain (as Gen. 1:26-28, Ps. 8:4-8 and Heb. 2:5-10 shows) . This is what Jesus restores as the human Messiah and human Son, and then ceremonially hands over this lost kingdom to the Head of divinity (the Father), with whom he will remain subject to as Man, yet one with in DIVINE and eternal co-ruler-ship as the Word of God or the Logos (Rev. 19:11-16). Thus this is why Rev. 22:1 pictures him into the eternal future STILL on the throne of universal dominion with his Father! Why? Because his supernatural right as the royal Heir of all things in the UNIVERSE, and not just on earth (Heb. 1:2, 3), cannot be reversed. And he STILL occupying the throne in Rev. 22:1, 3, into the eternal future, shows precisely what Daniel 7:14 makes plain; his divine UNIVERSAL dominion will be EVERLASTING, in union with that of His divine Fathers! Yet he will forever still Model for his brethren, even in Paradise on earth, full human subjection to the Father as His God. NOWHERE IN THE ENTIRE BIBLE BEFORE JESUS BECOMING MAN IS IT SHOWN JESUS CALLING THE FATHER HIS GOD; ONLY AFTER. Again, this is all part of the plan of redemption. No wonder the Bible makes it plain that great is the mystery (i.e. the revealed truth) of godliness. Pride is the mystery of iniquity (as unfolded in the life of prideful Lucifer who, as a lesser being in nature, wanted to be equal with God both in nature and headship or status). In the meanwhile, the amazing humbleness on the part of the divine Jesus (one equal with the Father in nature) is indeed the greatest evidence of the mystery of godliness playing out itself in his very life, from everlasting to everlasting. No wonder Paul invites all to let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus (Phill. 2:4-8), in that despite you may have certain equal rights because of your nature, yet you can humbly surrender them, take a lower place of status and servitude and give up yourself completely, for the greater good of others. This is precisely why the Father continues to allow him to be given divine equal place alongside himself, even as Jesus continues to exhibit divine humility. Paradox of paradoxes! And yet it simply the unadulterated truth of Gods Word! I say Amen. 10

*(Call 876- 963-1847 or 385-5982 or email ddgillespie@live.com for more on these mind blowing truths, or to share your own thoughts)!

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