PART 12 CHURCH TEACHINGS

Is Christ Deity, God Come in the Flesh?

PART 12 CHURCH TEACHINGS

TO LEARN ABOUT TEACHINGS THAT PREVENT A PERSON FROM RECEIVING THE INDWELLING SPIRIT                        

DOCTRINES OF DESTRUCTION

CHRIST IS NOT DEITY, GOD COME IN THE FLESH

If we were to look at many of the religions of the world as to whom they think Christ is, what we would find out is that their classification of Him falls well short as to whom the Christian faith says He is. Before we can determine why their analysis of Him falls far short, we need to be able to understand who He is, what He has accomplished, and His relationship to God the Father and the Holy Spirit according to the perspective of the Christian faith. We need to know or confirm what we believe before we’re able to recognize what teachings about Him we shouldn’t believe.

 

CHRISTIANITY �" BELIEFS ABOUT JESUS

• The Trinity

One God exists as three persons - coequal, …, and coeternal - all three possessing the same essential nature¹⁵² (deity) with distinct personalities. They are separate and distinct and yet exist coterminously¹⁵³ (exist at the same time).

Each person of the Godhead has a purpose related to the eternal will and plan of God. Scripture ascribes to each one a distinct role not jointly shared by each member. The Father is the planner, the source of all things. The Son is the agent through whom the Father’s plan is enacted. The Holy Spirit is the revealer and empowers the plan in our lives.¹⁵⁴

• Divine Essence or Deity

This refers to the divine nature of each person of the Trinity. It’s what each member of the Trinity is like.

• Divine Attributes

These are those qualities that make up the divine nature (deity) of each person of the Trinity. Each of them has the same ones (sovereignty, righteousness, justice, love, eternal life, omniscience, omnipresence, omnipotence, immutability, and veracity).

• Divine Attributes of Jesus

Sovereignty - All authority has been given to Him in heaven and earth. Matthew 28:18

Righteousness - Sinless in character. Hebrews 4:15

Justice - Paid the penalty for our sins. John 3:16

Will sit in judgment of all mankind, not for their sins but whether they believed in Him.

John 5:27; Romans 14:10

Love - Directed toward all mankind being made a propitiation for all sins. 1 John 2:2

Eternal life �" Existed forever before creation. John 1:1; Revelation 1:8

Omniscience �" Knows all [things,] which include the actual and the possible past, present, and future events,¹⁵⁵ which does not interfere with human volition. John 18:4; John 16:30

Omnipresence �" His essence is always present [everywhere] so that no particular place exclusively contains Him.¹⁵⁶ Jesus is both God and man. As a man, He is seated at the right hand of God the Father in His glorified body. Ephesians 1:20 As divine, He can also claim to be with His disciples wherever they were to go. Matthew 28:19-20

Omnipotence �" Unlimited in His authority. As deity, He created the universe. Colossians 1:16-17 In his humanity, during His incarnation, He limited the independent use of His deity to strictly conform to the plan of the Father.¹⁵⁷ Philippians 2:6-8; John 8:29

Immutability �" No divine attribute can operate independently of the other attributes. Jesus is the same in eternity past, present, and future. Hebrews 13:8

Veracity �" Jesus is habitually truthful, as evident by His words and deeds. He is the way, the truth, and the life. John 14:6

Before we continue on, just to clarify, the idea of Jesus having the same attributes as God the Father is clearly evidenced in the gospel of John.

John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

We’re told that the Word was with (as having company or fellowship with) God (the Father) but also that the Word was God. According to Koine Greek, the subject can be distinguished from the predicate by the fact that the subject has the [definite] article before it, and the predicate does not. This means that "God" is here the equivalent of an adjective, and this fact justifies the rendering he (the Word) was the same as God.¹⁵⁸ As an adjective, the same in what way? The word God refers to divine essence. Emphasis is upon quality or character. He [Jesus] possesses the same essence as God the Father, is one with Him in nature and attributes.¹⁵⁹

• Existed in eternity past

Jesus existed before creation. He was, is, and always will be.  

John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

John 8:58 Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.

John 6:38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.

• Virgin Birth

Jesus was born of a woman called Mary, who was not impregnated through the sexual process, i.e., by the union of sperm from the father with an egg from the mother.¹⁶⁰ Each human being has what are called chromosomes (Greek, chromosoma, chroma = color + soma = body). Each person has 23 pairs of chromosomes for a total of 46 in all. They receive one set from each parent; (a) 23 from the male and (b) 23 from the female. The 23rd pair of chromosomes is either a pair of; (a) XX (female) or (b) XY (male) chromosomes. So, females have two copies of the X chromosome, and males have one X and one Y chromosome; all the cells in the female contain only X chromosomes, while the male has both X and Y chromosomes.¹⁶¹ As stated, if the 23^rd chromosome is XY, then the child will be born a male.        

Scripture tells us that which was conceived (formed) in Mary was of the Holy Spirit. Some say that the Holy Spirit supplied 23 chromosomes, with the final pairing having the Y-chromosome. As for the word conceived, this could refer to the direct creation of the body with the human nature that was free from the corruption of sin by the power of the Holy Spirit. In other words, the Holy Spirit created the body with the uncorrupted sin nature. At birth, soul life was given by God with immediate physical life. It was at this time that Jesus came into physical existence on the earth.                                                                                                              

Matthew 1:23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.

Matthew 1:19-20 Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily. But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.

• Birth name

The name Jesus means ["Savior"] and comes from the Hebrew name, Joshua ("Jehovah is salvation") … Mary's Boy was called "Jesus the Christ." The word Christ means "anointed"; [it’s] the Greek equivalent of Messiah. He is "Jesus the Messiah." ¹⁶²

Matthew 1:18a Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise:…

• The Son of God

At certain times, demons replied to Jesus using this title, the Son of God. Albeit infrequently, He referred to Himself as the Son of God. This expression pointed to His divinity, clearly stating that He is God in the flesh. When asked by the religious leaders in the high priest’s house if He was the Son of God, He answered yes. This brought about upon Him the charge of blasphemy (speaking evil of God).

Luke 22:52, 54, 70-71

Then Jesus said unto the chief priests, and captains of the temple, and the elders, which were come to him, Be ye come out, as against a thief, with swords and staves?

Then took they him, and led him, and brought him into the high priest's house. And Peter followed afar off.

Then said they all, Art thou then the Son of God? And he said unto them, Ye say that I am. And they said, What need we any further witness? for we ourselves have heard of his own mouth.

• The Son of Man

This was the title of the Messiah, the anointed one of God who would free the Jewish people from bondage¹⁶³ of the Romans and set up an earthly kingdom. This person was not thought of as being divine by the Jewish religious leaders, but human, being born of natural parents.

Jesus used this expression quite frequently. Those that heard it didn’t seem to be alarmed by it. However, what He said along with it caused an alarm to sound. On one occasion, He said that He was the Lord of the Sabbath. (Matthew 12:8) On another, He said that He had the power on earth to forgive sins. (Matthew 9:6)

Matthew 16:13-14 When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.

Matthew 12:8 For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day.

Matthew 9:6 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house.

• The Literal Son of God

Jesus is not the literal offspring of God the Father.¹⁶⁴ God the Father did not have relations with Mary, a virgin, Jesus’ mother. The scriptural rendering says that which is conceived (formed) in her is of the Holy Spirit. This could be referring to the body without a corrupted nature.

It was at physical birth that He was made in the likeness of a man on the earth. And by the way, when He was referred to as the only begotten Son of the Father, this should be understood as to His role in fulfilling the Father’s plan.

Matthew 1:20 But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.

John 1:18 No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.

• Two Natures

Jesus is the only member of the Trinity to have two natures, each of which has its own attributes, the attributes of deity and the attributes of humanity. In His humanity, we’re told that He thought it not robbery to be equal with God. The word robbery, according to Koine Greek language, has two distinct meanings. "A thing unlawfully seized," and "a treasure to be clutched and retained at all hazards." When a Greek word has more than one meaning, the rule of interpretation is to take the one which agrees with the context in which [it’s] found.¹⁶⁵ With that said, the meaning is that if our Lord did not consider the expression of His divine essence such a treasure that it should be retained at all hazards, that would mean that He was willing to waive His rights to that expression if the necessity arose. This is the essence of humility and of self-abnegation.¹⁶⁶

Philippians 2:6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:

• Redemption

Jesus is the propitiation (the atoning sacrifice) for the whole world, providing redemption (setting free; separation) from the judgment (the consequences due) of the wrath of God concerning the penalty of sin through His blood (the price paid to divine justice). This doesn’t mean that everyone will be saved (will go to heaven at physical death). It means that the debt of sin, the payment owed to satisfy God’s justice, was fulfilled, and because of such, each of us is free from providing this payment on our own.

1 John 2:2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

Ephesians 1:7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

• Forgiveness

Jesus also provided forgiveness for the sins of the whole world at the cross. This word forgiveness means many things (to blot out sins; not to remember sins any longer; to throw a person’s sins behind one’s back; to carry away our sins so that they might never again be seen).

Ephesians 1:7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

• Made to be sin for us

Christ was made sin, a sin offering, a sacrifice for sin for us, who bore the punishment due to them, suffering in our stead during a three-hour period of time during which His Father forsook (would no longer remain in fellowship with) Him. However, He was sustained by the ministry of the Holy Spirit.

2 Corinthians 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

Matthew 27:45-46 Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

Hebrews 9:14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

• Blood �" Efficacious

Jesus set all mankind free from the slave market of sin by the payment of His blood (sacrificial, substitutionary death; analogous to giving up His human spirit). This payment also provided for the forgiveness of the paid debt. We can therefore say that Christ’s blood is efficacious (effective as a remedy¹⁶⁷) for being the payment for sin and the removing of its record forever.

Colossians 1:20 And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.

Luke 23:46 And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.

Colossians 2:13 …having forgiven you all trespasses;

• The Resurrection

After having died on the cross, Jesus, by means of the Spirit, went to hell and preached to the spirits (the fallen angels) in prison. He also went to another place in hell called Paradise or Abraham’s bosom, the site of the departed spirits, of the righteous dead; the name of which he declared to one of the thieves who was crucified on a cross next to Him that on this day He would be with him in paradise. After three full days, by the Spirit, Jesus’ human spirit re-entered his physical body, which was quickened (made alive; bodily resurrection).

Luke 16:22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;

Luke 23:43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.

1 Peter 3:19 By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;

1 Peter 3:18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:

• The Ascension

Following His resurrection, Jesus witnessed to over five hundred people while remaining on earth in His glorified body. When it was time, He ascended into heaven to be seated at the right hand of the Father. The righteous spirits that were imprisoned in hell at a place called Paradise/Abraham’s Bosom were set free and allowed to enter heaven.

1 Corinthians 15:4-6 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.

Ephesians 4:8-10 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)

• Salvation

Salvation refers to the bundle of benefits received when an unbeliever repents of their sins to God the Father and believes in his Son, Jesus Christ, as to who He is and what he has accomplished. These benefits include the receiving of the indwelling Spirit along with additional benefits (e.g., receiving eternal life, becoming a new creation, being identified with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection, etc.).

Acts 17:30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

John 3:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water (the gospel message of repentance and belief) and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

2 Thessalonians 2:13 But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:

Ephesians 1:13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,

• Eternal rewards and glorified bodies

While this is a controversial view, many believe that the church age saints, those alive on the earth, will be removed and taken up in the clouds to meet Jesus in the air along with those church age saints who have already passed on into heaven at a future event called the Rapture.

Revelation 3:10 Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.

The word keep in Greek means to be taken out from. Taken out from what, from the hour of temptation? The hour of temptation is believed to refer to a period of seven years, known as the Tribulation period. This new era or dispensation is believed to be an amount of time owed to complete the Age of the Jews, which was cut short. During this time, the rebuilding of the temple at Jerusalem, the reinstitution of the Mosaic Law, and an attempt to evangelize unbelieving Jews to believe in Jesus as their Messiah/Savior will take place.

After three and a half years, there will be a concerted effort by the nations of the world to destroy the nation of Israel. Near the end of this all-out assault, Jesus will return with His saints and intervene, thus preventing total annihilation. He will establish an earthy kingdom with its capital at Jerusalem over which He will rule for a thousand years, known as the Millennial reign.

Getting back to the Rapture, there is some consensus that two other things will occur at this time. New Testament believers that meet Christ in the clouds of the air will receive eternal rewards at what is called the Bema Seat Judgment along with glorified bodies. 

1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

1 Corinthians 15:51-53 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

1 Corinthians 3:13-14 Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.

There you have it. I tried to present as much information as I could about Jesus. Hopefully, this will help us sort out any misinformation about Him as presented by the other faiths. Unfortunately, without belief in Him as deity, without belief in Him as being one of the members of the Trinity who pre-existed time, without repentance and belief in Him as the only way to receive the indwelling Holy Spirit, being able to have a personal relationship with God will never take place.

If this is the case, then an unbeliever would not be able to have a personal verification of God’s presence. They will most likely not follow Him at all or follow a different god with a prescribed format of dos and don’ts, which hopefully they believe will please him and provide favor for entrance into a future better place without ever knowing beyond a shadow of a doubt if they will ever get there.

Now that you know about Jesus, are you ready to look at a list of the other faiths and find out what they think about Him?

• Judaism

They consider Christ to be a teacher of divine things. Some of His teachings were supported by some of the religious leaders because they reasoned that the miracles which accompanied His doctrine gave proof of verification by Jehovah.

John 3:2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.

As mentioned earlier in this study, Jesus was discounted as being the Jewish Messiah. Why was this the case? Because many of His own declarations about Himself and His purposes were different from the many views that they held about their coming Messiah according to the Jewish Bible, also known as the Tanakh. One of such that they reminded Him of was that He was born of human parents, and yet He made claims about His divinity. They couldn’t understand how these two declarations could be compatible scripturally.

• Christian Science

They believe in one monotheistic God and subsequently deny Trinitarian Godhead: "The theory of three persons in one God (that is, a personal Trinity or Tri-unity) suggests polytheism, rather than the one ever-present I Am" (Science and Health, p. 256).¹⁶⁸ Their theology also denies that the incarnation of Christ was the fullness of deity dwelling in human flesh, denies the perfection of the man Jesus, and attempts to explain away the historical death and bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ (Science and Health, pp. 336, 29, 332, 53, 398, 313, 593; Miscellaneous Writings, p. 201).¹⁶⁹ However, it’s believed that Christ was divine, meaning that he operated in divine attributes that also belong to all those who are God’s children.    

As far as salvation is concerned, there is no receiving of the Holy Spirit because there is only one God. Pertaining to going to a better place at death doesn’t have any relevance because they don’t believe in heaven or hell. However, they do believe that if the Ten Commandments are followed along with the teachings of Jesus, this will bring a believer into unity with God.

• Islam

They believe that Jesus was a prophet of God, like Mohammed. Their view on God is that there is only one, whose name is Allah. There is no Trinity. Salvation, going to a better place at death, is called Paradise. If a follower adheres to the tenets of the Five Pillars of Islam, he/she will go to this desired place.

• Seventh Day Adventist

They believe in the Trinity characterized as a single divine “Being,” comprised of three [“Persons,”] sharing one indivisible (undivided) substance.¹⁷⁰ Christ is deity, and He also eternally pre-existed creation. Salvation is by grace through faith (repentance and belief).

• The Church of Latter Day Saints

They believe that Jesus is God, come in the flesh, and that God the Father is also God. As for the Holy Spirit, He is also considered as being God but a non-physical being. Unlike traditional Christianity, which believes the three members of the Trinity are of one substance, Latter-day Saints believe they are three physically separate beings, but fully one in love, purpose, and will.¹⁷¹ In other words, each of them is a separate God.

They would also contend that each of those humans who become a member and follow the tenets of this faith is also considered a God. Therefore, the number of Gods continues to increase. This would mean that, like God, each follower would have all of His attributes. As for salvation, this would be described as going to one of three levels of heaven at death. And the level which someone will attain is based on their obedience to certain laws and ordinances of the faith. And by the way, there is no hell.

• Catholicism

They believe in the Trinity of one God existing in three persons, each being deity with different roles in the plan of God. The pre-existence of Christ, the virgin birth, His sinless life, His death on the cross, resurrection, and ascension are supported. Salvation can be conveyed in two ways. First, it can be described as either a baby or adult becoming a child of God at water baptism with the presence of the Holy Spirit. Second, it can also refer to eventually going to heaven along with a prior stop to a place called Purgatory as long as the member practiced the tenets of the faith and committed venial (lesser sins), some of which weren’t confessed on the earth but will be atoned for at this interim place. 

• Episcopal

They believe in the Trinity of one God existing in three persons, each being deity with different roles in the plan of God. The pre-existence of Christ, the virgin birth, His sinless life, His death on the cross, resurrection, and ascension are supported. However, they believe that all religions worship the same God.

Salvation can be delineated in a comprehensive manner. Like Catholicism, some of the affiliated churches believe that at water baptism, a baby or adult becomes a child of God. What follows is obedience to the tenets of the faith, such as confirmation (the Holy Spirit comes into one’s life for spiritual growth), continued observance of communion, daily repentance, etc.). Another general way to describe salvation is by a quote from an Episcopal priest. Through Jesus’ preaching and teaching, we learn that salvation means loving our neighbor as we love ourselves, that [we’re] our brother’s and sister’s keeper.¹⁷² If what has been taught is being lived out in a member; then at Christ’s second coming (return to the earth), these believers will be taken to heaven.

• Buddhism

They believe in teachings that attempt to address the causes of personal human suffering. The suggested remedy is adherence to what is termed an Eightfold Path to Enlightenment. There is no God, heaven, or hell.

• Hinduism

Most of them believe in one God, called Brahman, but not a Trinity. During their lifetime, they try to attain Dharma or certain behaviors (code of living). Salvation could be described as eventually getting to heaven through a process called reincarnation, i.e., the soul returning to the earth following death in the same form (human form, but different body) or an entirely different form (of animals, plants, fish, insects, etc.).

While on the earth, certain free will decisions will be made called Karma that produce beneficial or harmful effects. Over time, a system of these is formulated. At death, if any of these decisions were bad, the person’s soul could go to hell, where they would be transformed to be able to begin a rebirth process over again on earth in order to improve on their Karma. If they attained a high level of good decisions, they eventually would get to heaven. 

• Scientology

Each person is responsible for their spiritual salvation. Certain principles and methods are followed in order to improve one’s spiritual condition. Over time, an awareness of having lived at an earlier time becomes apparent. Issues that pervade that life are brought forth, and an effort is made to address them so that the present life can improve.

There is a belief in a supreme being, albeit not a specific one. Spiritual growth could be associated with progressing through different levels. Once the seventh tier is reached, a fuller understanding of the eighth one pertaining to God will materialize.  

• Jehovah’s Witness

They believe in one God (Jehovah). There is no Trinity. Jesus is not God and man but a created being. Before creation, the belief is that He was made as [to] the archangel Michael, … and is a lesser, though mighty, god.¹⁷³

Their followers are deemed as being in one of two groups. One group, called the anointed, will go to heaven at death. Salvation (going to heaven at death) will have been obtained by water baptism and receiving God’s spirit (life force). The other group must earn their way, not to heaven, but to a different place called Paradise earth. There is no hell. Any person who is not in either group, will at death, have their existence be removed forever.

As we can see, the word salvation can mean different things to different faiths. For the Christian faith, it means the bundle of benefits received. The primary one is the Holy Spirit, along with additional benefits. One of them is called eternal life, the zoe life, superadded things which are needful to make that life eminently blessed and happy¹⁷⁴; to have within them perennial sources of life for others - fullness of being¹⁷⁵; spiritual blessings … abundance of grace, peace, love.¹⁷⁶

Think about this for a minute. Christianity says there is one God who exists in three persons, each with their own role in the Father’s plan. One of them, named Jesus, came to the earth in the form of a man evidencing genuine godliness to all. He died personally for each and every one of us as our substitute paying our debt owed to God the Father for our sin and wiped away the record of such forever. And then we’re told that for each and every person who repents and believes in Him, they can receive another member of the Trinity called the Holy Spirit, who will come and indwell their body, thus becoming a personal resource for their spiritual growth.

Not only will He allow us to experience His supernatural peace, love, and joy, but He will also assist us through our intake of the Word of God by providing a divine perspective about ourselves, others, and the circumstances of life. Over time, loneliness, depression, addictions, sexual abuse, etc., can be overcome. God literally co-labors with us and helps us to address the weaknesses of our flesh (sin nature).

Wouldn’t you want your spiritual life to be like this one?

You might be thinking, you want me to leave my religion?

No, I want you to have a personal relationship with God. As far as what happens after this spiritual reality takes place in your life, that is, between you and Him. What do you have to lose? If God is real, He will come into your life and reveal Himself to you. Would you like to have this personal relationship with Him? If you do, then please repeat the words that follow either silently or out loud.

I acknowledge that I’ve sinned in many areas such as slandering others; having sexual relations outside of marriage; being jealous; having participated in alcohol or drug abuse; having sex with others of the same gender; having committed adultery; having taken money from others in a deceitful manner; having committed rape; having engaged in pedophilia; etc. and I no longer want to engage in these mental, verbal and overt sins of my past. I need a new nature, and I choose to believe in you, Jesus Christ.   

I confess that You are the Savior who pre-existed time as deity (divine attributes), being one of the members of the Trinity, God incarnate, who came to earth to take on human form and be born of a virgin; lived a sinless life in communion with the Father; died on a cross securing the payment for the sins of the world; having canceled the record of them forever; rose again after three days, never to die again; and ascended to heaven where You are now seated at the right hand of the Father.   

I ask that you redeem my life at this moment and send the promised Holy Spirit to dwell within me, giving me a new nature and bringing His fruit of love, joy, and peace into my life as evidence of His presence. Thank you, Lord.

Now, the most amazing thing has just happened to you. The Holy Spirit has come into your life to live in your spirit within your body. And now, I would also like to pray for you. God the Father unveil to this new believer your personalness by means of the ministry of the Holy Spirit. Show him/her that He is abiding within. Amen.

This concludes our study on the teachings of the Doctrines of Destruction that prevent a person from receiving the indwelling Spirit. So, where do we go from here? What we’ll take a look at in the next chapter are teachings that I will call Authoritative Doctrines. What are these all about? Proceed onward and find out.