(This is a common question and source of confusion for many). This question was brought up in a comment left for me. I'd like to repeat my response, & expound a bit more...
We have understanding of the physical but we can't presume to understand the 'spirit being' or the 'spirit realm'. So often we look at these from our human perspective and apply our own reasoning to them. As I mentioned in my Did Jesus Have A Beginning post, the bible tells us that Jesus was rich [spirit] but became poor [flesh] so that we could become rich[spirit]. {Need interlinear to translate properly}:
Php. 2:5-8 Says he EMPTIED himself. What did He empty himself of? I'd say, of His 'equality' with the Father; i.e., being a spirit being, and becoming flesh.
v.6 Who, subsisting (G5225) in form of (G3444) God, did not consider equality with God to be plunder (G725)
[i.e., something he should grasp and not let loose of],
v.7 but emptied (G2758) himselftaking the very nature of a servantbeing made in human likeness.
[became flesh, no longer spirit], [did not come to be served but to serve]
He became flesh. And flesh can die. However, death of the flesh is merely 'sleep'. If you recall the story of Lazarus, he died but Jesus said he was sleeping.
Jn. 11:11 After he had said this, he went on to tell them, "Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him up."
12 His disciples replied, "Lord, if he sleeps, he will get better."
13 Jesus had been speaking of his death, but his disciples thought he meant natural sleep.
14 So then he told them plainly, "Lazarus is dead,
15 and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him."
From our perspective, he was dead - we have no control over death. From God's perspective he was sleeping - God has control over death. He resurrected Jesus, whose physical body was dead/sleeping, but His spirit was still intact.He then speaks with a sister of Lazarus;
Jn.11:24 Martha answered, "I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day."
25 Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies;
[resurrection from physical death]
26 and whoever lives and believes in me will never die
[Those still alive at Jesus' return, made spirit]. Do you believe this?" Again, Jesus says;
Jn.8:15 I tell you the truth, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death."
Now what did He mean when He said that? People die every day.He was talking about actual death; Death of the soul. Death is not permanent until the soul has been destroyed.Jesus said in
Matthew 10:28 Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.
Do you see the distinction between the two kinds of death? What we think of as 'death' is not actual death. (Death of the body is none the less painful for those left behind, because it'll be a long time before God resurrects them). Real death does not come until the soul has been destroyed in the lake of burning sulfur, reserved for those who do not inherit the Kingdom of God. And by the way, if God can destroy both body & soul, that includes:
Re. 20: And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown
.In response to some questions & thoughts posed:
FIRST NOTE: Self-Existent means; Having No Creator. Therefore, humans that are made spirit become eternal but are not self-existent. (There are some who don't understand this.)
- If we believe that Jesus is self-existent,& gave up His spirit body to become human & die a physical death, does it mean His spirit could have died also?
Ecc. 12:7 and the dust returns to the ground it came from, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.
- Could Jesus have ceased to exist?
As I stated earlier; We have understanding of the physical but we can't presume to understand the 'spirit being' or the 'spirit realm'. So often we look at these from our human perspective and apply our own reasoning to them. It just doesn't work that way.
Again, I recommend you also read Did Jesus Have A Beginning? I'd be curious to know if, after doing so, questions still remained. I will be addressing other false teachings of Ron Weinland in future posts, with plenty of scriptures.
This entry was posted
on Friday, May 2, 2008
at Friday, May 02, 2008
and is filed under
can God die,
death,
Did Jesus Have A Beginning?,
false prophet,
Jesus,
resurrection,
spirit
. You can follow any responses to this entry through the
comments feed
.
Posts
