philosophizer
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I thought this was an amazing post! :thumb:
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Originally posted by FaithfulServant
How could the Son of God die if He was divine? To answer this we need to first understand some of the attributes of God that set Him apart from his creatures. The first attribute of God is that he is omnipotent. This simply means that he is all powerful; His power is unlimited. This is especially noticeable concerning His creative ability. In fact, it is this ability that God says sets Him apart from all false gods. Notice the contrast illustrated in the following verses:
But the LORD is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlasting king: at his wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation. Thus shall ye say unto them, The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, even they shall perish from the earth, and from under these heavens. He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and hath stretched out the heavens by his discretion. (Jeremiah 10:10-12)
For all the gods of the nations are idols: but the LORD made the heavens. (Psalm 96:5)
The second attribute of God is that He is omnipresent. This means that God can be anywhere or everywhere at any time. In fact, by His spirit He can be all places at all times. David said, “Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.” (Psalm 139:7, 8)
The third attribute of God is that He is omniscient. This means that God is all knowing. He has total knowledge of that which has occurred in the past as well as what is currently happening. He also knows the future before it happens. “Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure.” (Isaiah 46:10) Not only does God have total knowledge of events, He also understands all scientific and psychological mysteries. (See Job chapters 38 - 41.)
The fourth attribute of God is that He is inherently immortal. That means not subject to death. This is also the exclusive property of God.
Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen. (1 Timothy 1:17)
Who only hath 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. (1 Timothy 6:16)
The Form of a Slave
The Apostle Paul, under inspiration, writes concerning Christ: “Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men.” (Philippians 2:6, 7) The original Greek in the first part of verse 7 literally translates to: “but himself emptied.” Paul says that the One who was divine - “in the form of God,” “emptied” Himself of that divine form. In other words, Christ emptied Himself of the divine attributes in the incarnation and accepted the essential attributes of a slave.
Jesus laid aside His omnipotence. “The faithful and true witness” stated very clearly: “Verily, verily (truly, truly), I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise. ... I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.” (John 5:19, 30) Christ did not retain His omnipotence in the incarnation, but rather totally depended on the Father.
Christ laid aside His omnipresence. Even a casual reading of the gospels reveals that Jesus accepted the physical restrictions of humanity. This is one reason that Jesus told the disciples that it was “expedient” for Him to go away so that the omnipresent Comforter could come.
Christ laid aside His omniscience in the incarnation. Luke 2:52 states that “Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.” One can not increase in wisdom if he already possesses it all. In fact, Jesus plainly told the disciples that He did not even know the exact time of the second coming. “But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.” (Mark 13:32)4
Finally, Christ laid aside His immortality in the incarnation. The Scriptures teach that the soul of Christ died, that He gave up the “breath of life” at Calvary.
Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors. (Isaiah 53:12)
Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. (Matthew 27:50)5
When we consider these four attributes together, we see that Christ, in the incarnation, laid aside the attributes of divinity while retaining His divine relationship with His Father, i.e.; He was divine because of who He was and not because of powers or abilities He had within Himself. He was still the divine Son of God.
Christ received by nature all the attributes of God. Because Jesus was the begotten Son of God, He received the attributes of God, including inherent immortality. This immortality, along with His omnipotence, omnipresence, and omniscience, Christ laid aside in the incarnation and could do so because He had received these from God.
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