Wednesday, October 08, 2003 (8)
CHRIST JESUS BEING IN THE FORM OF GOD AND OF A SERVANT. What a tremendous contrast. From the highest to the lowest, From ruling supremely to the humility of a slave. There could be no greater manifestation of love. In the form of bearing the full likeness and essence of that form and being. Phil. 2:6-7 The same Greek word [morphe] is use in relationship to both, the form of God and the form of a servant. As much as Jesus took the form of a man so also was He in the form of God. He has the nature, the essence, the being, the divine attributes, the characteristics of God, for God must be perfectly shaped in Him. There is but one PHYSICAL body of which it may be expressed that He is God, and that is the body and person of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Father does not possess a PHYSICAL body. God is a Spirit. While that Spirit does not have a PHYSICAL body, He may possess, occupy a physical body, as in the case of the Lord Jesus. John 4:24 Likewise in the filling of the Spirit received by the Church in the baptism of the Spirit. That the one who was to come would be in all essence, God is seen in the prophecy of Isaiah pertaining to the coming of the Son of God, who would be named, Immanuel, or God with us. Isa. 7:14 Isaiah once again, when prophesying of the coming Messiah, proclaimed Him to the Mighty God. Isa. 9:6 Jesus, while equal with God did not hold to, nor proclaim His rightful position. He was on a mission, to redeem mankind and bring them unto the Lord. The sacrifice of a lamb was required and He was that lamb. So great was the drive of love which possessed Him that He was willing to lay aside all the glory and majesty which had been His in eternity. All with the explicit purpose of purchasing for Himself a church without spot or wrinkle, but perfect. Eph. 5:25-27
DOES GOD POSSESS A FORM? It is very evident, from the very beginning that He has shape and essence. In creating man, the Lord stated that man was to be made in the image and likeness of God. Thus verifying that the Lord, who is Spirit, has shape and form. Gen. 1:26 He used the personal pronoun in the plural, us indicating the Trunity of the Lord. He made one man, incorporating in that man the full likeness of Himself. Molding him a body, then breathing into him the breath of life [spirit] and that man became a living being. Triune in nature, with a body, soul and spirit. As with the tabernacle so with the physical body of man, we are but a shadow of the real thing. The reality being that which is Spirit, for it is everlasting, it always has been and always will be. The resurrected body, while having the shape and form of this physical body, will not have the limitations of the physical, for it will be a spiritual body. A body that will have all the capabilities and freedoms from the flesh that are to be found in the body of the Lord Jesus. He entered the room where they were assembled, the doors being shut. Material, earthly limitations had no control over the resurrected, spiritual body of Christ. John 20:26.