Some of you who read to the end of my last post (4D), may have had just a moment's pause; perhaps the word "heresy??" even came to mind for just a moment?
GOOD! That would actually be very gratifying to me for two reasons:
1) It shows you're being a "good Berean" (Acts 17:11); that you're reading carefully, and exercising discernment, and not just accepting the words of any human teacher, and have good "protective instincts" for the doctrines of God's precious Word (John 14:23: I Timothy 6:20; II Timothy 1:13-14; Jude 3).
2) The potential "shock and awe" you may have felt allows me to HIGHLIGHT; to bring out in proper, bold relief, two very key points:
A. As we talk about the Lord Jesus, as both God AND Man, taking His place in Heaven, and opening a way for other men to follow, there is still one absolutely essential distinction we MUST make.
B. It SHOULD almost "shock" us, if I may use that word, to see how INCREDIBLY God, the Father, HAS ACTUALLY DETERMINED TO HONOR AND BLESS MERE MORTAL MAN!
And yet, as long as we ARE maintaining those proper distinctions, and not taking things BEYOND the parameters set in the Bible and by sound hermeneutics, it is nothing more or less than what God, Himself, says so very plainly in His Word!
First, then, what is that "absolutely essential distinction" we must maintain? It is simply that, though God, Himself, took on mortal flesh, and identified so completely with men ("apart from sin" -- Hebrews 4:16; II Corinthians 5:21; I John 3:5), and then, AS A MAN, was seated in Heaven, opening the way, and as "forerunner" for others to follow, HE STILL FOREVER RETAINS THE DISTINCTION OF DEITY.
Though we are incredibly, amazingly privileged to be adopted as the "MANY sons" (Hebrews 2:10; Galatians 3:26-4:7; Romans 8:15-17; I John 3:1-2), still, He ever remains "THE ONLY-BEGOTTEN SON;" there is, and evermore shall be, a Divine Uniqueness to the Logos (John 1:1-2) that we can never share in!
But second, may we all be truly, wonderfully AMAZED, ASTOUNDED; may we all find it TRULY, GENUINELY "AWESOME" (in the authentic, fullest and undiluted meaning of that word!) that God has bestowed such honor on man as to grant him "citizenship" and co-residence in Heaven with His own Son! How unfathomable! How utterly exhilarating and uplifting, if we grasp an inkling of all this means to those who have truly trusted in Christ for salvation (I Corinthians 2:9-10).
You can sense the wonder in the Psalmist's words:
"What is man, that Thou art mindful of him? Or the Son of man, that Thou visitest him?
Thou crownedst him with glory and honor and didst set him over the works of Thy hands." (Psalm 8:4, 5; Hebrews 2:6, 7).
There's so, SO much more that needs to be said about this! And the words are coming like a flood; but I'm afraid that's ALL I have time for, right now.
Let me just leave you with this parting thought, and I hope you WILL give it some prayerful consideration: we now, currently, have a MAN in Heaven, Who is to be the object of our gaze, the focus of our attention, the occupation of our hearts; far, far more than "the sweetest frame" that could ever dazzle our eyes, infatuate our hearts, and absorb our thoughts here on earth: the Lord Jesus Christ; risen, ascended, and SEATED at the right hand of God! Let Him BE the object of your heart today!
Please read and meditate on Acts 7:55-56; Hebrews 3:1; 8:1; Psalm 73:25; Colossians 3:1-4.
"There are two things you have to learn, and how many do not accept them! One is, you are NOT to have the man here, and the place where he is. The other is, you ARE to have another Man, and the place where HE is!" -- J. B. Stoney.
More later, Lord willing.