I’ve always thought it was a bit presumptuous on our part to think we could understand, let alone explain in simplistic terms...the ‘godhead’.

If you’ve been around ‘church speak’ for any length of time, you probably have heard terms like ‘Trinitarians’ - those who believe in the ‘Trinity’ which explains God as being ‘3 in 1’ (Father, Son, Holy Spirit). Then there is the ‘Oneness’ folks who teach that there is only the ‘One’, and Jesus IS Him- God almighty ...come in the flesh’. Trust me...the divide is so strong that separate denominations have evolved as a result of the differing views. The truth of the matter, if I may be so bold to say...is both sides are right; but leave it to a spiritual enemy to bring more division to the body of Christ.

I only bring this up because of a reference I left you with in yesterday’s message citing the writings found in Hebrews 5. It’s a passage that always gives me pause when I read it, as we are told that Jesus the ‘Son...learned obedience by the things which He suffered’. (8)

Then, in the very next verse, it reads: “and having been perfected (made perfect)...He became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey Him.” (9). Please hang with me here.

I say those two passages give me pause because whether you are in the ‘oneness camp’ or the ‘trinitarian camp’, there is no denying who Jesus was, is, and will always be: Jesus Christ is the ‘image of the invisible God’ (Col. 1:15) and the ‘express image of His (God’s) person, being the brightness of His Glory’ (Heb. 1:2-3).

Jesus plainly told His disciples...”if you have seen Me, you have seen the Father, for the Father and I are one” (John 14:9; 10:30). Why, the very gospel of John opens up with some of the most profound truth you’ll ever read: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was ‘with’ God and the Word ‘was’ God...and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory...” (John 1:1,14).

Please don’t ask me to explain in terms where our peanut-sized brains can understand ...how God Almighty, the creator of heaven and earth...poured Himself into a ‘human carton of flesh’ (in the form of Jesus), but He did. Period. And I am fine with accepting and believing that by faith. Years ago, I do remember hearing some analogy addressing our challenges as humans to fully understand who exactly God, our Creator is and what He is like. It would be something akin to a tiny little ant insect trying to fully grasp the complexities of a human being. But if a human being could ‘become an ant’, then perhaps that special ‘human turned ant’ might be able to relate to that family of insects. So in a way, that is what God Almighty did- He became one of us. And everything we need to know and understand about God...can be found in Jesus.

Clearly one distinguishing difference between Jesus and the rest of us ‘fallen humanity’...is that Jesus was ‘sinless’. We learn in scripture that “He (Jesus) knew no sin” (2 Cor. 5:21) and yet...because He was manifested in the form of human flesh...He could be ‘tempted in all areas of sin that we are, yet was without sin’ (Heb. 2:18; 4:15).

Would you read that last line one more time please?

Jesus is the ‘prototype’ of what you and I are ‘supposed’ to be conformed to...IF...IF...IF... we are being ‘led by His Spirit’ in order that we might ‘become children of God’ (John 1:12; Romans 8:14,29). But I cannot underscore enough the importance that we ‘continue in the faith’ so this might happen (Col. 1:21-23). I sure hope you are looking those verses up and marking them in your Bible.

That word ‘continue’ we see there in Col. 1:23 means to ‘abide’, which is the ONLY way any of us will ever be ‘conformed to His image’ and actually ‘walk as He walked’ (1 John 2:6); and that includes being able to ‘go and sin no more’ just like Jesus walked (1 John 3:6).

I guess my question is this: Why is this so hard for us to believe and accept that this is even remotely possible? What do you think Jesus came to do...pay off our ‘credit card of sin debt’ while telling us to ‘go and spend no more’, but deep down inside He knew we couldn’t do this so He hangs around to keep ‘paying off our ‘credit card of sin debt problems’?

Let me tell you why this is such a sticking point. The majority of professing ‘believers’ today don’t believe this is possible, that we can ‘become Christlike’, despite all the scriptures that would teach otherwise. (2 Cor. 5:17). May I remind you of another generation of ‘believers’ who wandered around and eventually died out in the wilderness because of their refusal to believe what God told them His plan was for them. You might read through Numbers 13-14 again as a reminder, and then take into account the somber warnings we are given in 1 Cor. 10:1-11 and Hebrews 3:12- 4:7...to ‘not be like them’!

So going back to my original point...what does this mean that Jesus had to ‘learn obedience through the things He suffered’...and ‘be made perfect’...if He was God in the flesh? Wasn’t He already ‘perfect/complete’? Well, yes, He was; but because He also took on human form, subject to the same temptations you and I are ...He came to demonstrate how to ‘walk His way’ as we repent, turn from our ways and follow Him. And here’s the really good news...we can’t do this on our own, so He empowers us with His grace to ‘do the will of the Father’...just like He did. “I only do what the Father tells Me to do”.

And who are the ones who will ‘enter the kingdom of heaven’, according to Matt. 7:21?

Is any of this ‘clicking’ yet for you? Is God’s word not amazing how it begins to fit together like a puzzle that gives us a clear picture of what God came to do ...IN us? But please don’t forget...it’s all Him doing it in us...as we are ‘saved by grace alone through faith’ (Eph. 2:8-9).

But if you thought being ‘led by His Spirit’ so this could happen was some ‘holy option’, you are sorely mistaken and have been greatly deceived. We’ll continue on tomorrow, Lord willing.