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Was there a separation in the eternal Godhead?

6/30/2015

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     Mathew 27:46, tells us that when Jesus was on the cross he cried out saying “My God, my God why hast thou forsaken me”.  From this verse we ask:
      Was there a separation in the Godhead?           
         A. Did God the Father separate himself from God the son?
         B. Was Jesus left to die on the cross alone?      
         C. Did God turn His back on the son because He was too pure to look at 

              sin?

·      There are those in the family of God that believe that God did indeed turn his back on His son, separating Himself from His son for a moment in time, and thus leaving His son to die on the cross alone.
·      Too often as Christians, we listen, we believe, and we pass on the teaching that we hear without doing a critical test against scripture.  We must be a Berean and determine whether the teaching is connected to sound doctrine.  We are all subject to this lack of care for God’s precious word but we must do our very best to mine God’s word.  
·     To answer any question about any one of the three distinct persons of the Godhead, knowledge of the nature of God, of the person of Christ, of the Holy Spirit and of the relationship that each one has to the other is imperative.  Any interpretation of scripture that violates the nature and character of God, we must reject.  By applying this, even if we don't know what a scripture means we know what it does not mean if it violates the nature and character of God. 
·     Usually the problem in our understanding of scripture lies in having a misunderstanding or a lack of knowledge of the nature of God the Father, of the nature of God the Son, and of the nature of God the Holy Spirit.
·     Does the the teaching that God literally separated from the Son violate the character and nature of God?  A study of the attributes of God will prove that it is impossible for any separation within the Godhead to ever take even for a moment in time. 

   Note: Having an understanding of the essentials of the Christian faith is crucial.  Having an understanding about the nature and character of God is the quintessential essential.  Without knowing and embracing the essentials of the Christian faith, we can start to enter a slippery slope towards heresy.

  Let us take a quick look at some heretical religious groups that have a misunderstanding of the nature and character of God:  


Jehovah witnesses believe that:                                                       
   1.   Jesus is the first and only being directly created by God.
   2.   Jesus is not God Almighty, not all-powerful, not all knowing, and not all 

         present.  Also they deny these same attributes about their own god, 
         Jehovah.
   3.   Jesus is not to be worshipped.
   4.   Jesus didn’t rise bodily from the grave.

Mormon’s believe that:                           
   1.   Jesus is the spirit-brother of Lucifer      
   2.   Jesus was conceived in heaven by a celestial mother      
   3.    Jesus came in flesh as a result of God the Father having sex with the 

          Virgin Mary.

Muslim’s believe that:                                                   
   1.   Jesus is no more than a prophet
   2.   Jesus is not the Son of God and to affirm Jesus as God is considered   

         blasphemous.  In the Muslim’s holy book, Sura 5:75 reads: “Christ the 
         son of Mary was no more than an Apostle.” Further, “it is not fitting to 
         (the Majesty of) God that He should beget a son” (Sura 19:35)                                                                                                      
 Ebionites                                                                                               
         The Ebionites denied Christ’s divine nature.

Arians                                                                                                
        Arianism may be said to be a doctrine which holds that Jesus Christ,  

       though the greatest of all, was a created being.

Nestororianism  
        This heresy divides Christ into two persons

Eutychains
   1. This heresy declared that there was only one nature in Christ.  
   2. That Christ’s divine nature was so modified and accommodated to the 

        human nature that Christ was not really divine.
   3.  At the same time the human nature of Christ was so modified and 

        changed by assimilation to the divine nature that He was no longer 
        genuinely human.

The Nature and Attributes of God the Father     

God Is a Spirit
    1. Per John 4:24 – God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in 
        spirit and truth.”

    2. Negative implications per John 4:24
       a.  God is a non-corporeal (non physical body) not located in any one finite
             space.

       b.   Jesus used the word Spirit to indicate non-corporeal existence.  Per 
             Luke 24:36-40, “Now as they said these things, Jesus Himself stood in 
             the midst of them, and said to them, “Peace to you.” But they were
             terrified and frightened, and supposed they had seen a spirit. And He
             said to them, “Why are you troubled? And why do doubts arise in your
             hearts? Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. Handle Me
             and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have.” 
             When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet.

        c.  In the Pentateuch the non-corporeal nature of God is the basis of the
             2
nd commandment (You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether
             in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth
             beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.) which forbids the
             worship of “any likeness of anything of a corporeal nature.” 


God is infinite In His Being
    1.  “God is infinite in His being” affirms  that God is omnipresent
    2.   The omnipresent of God expresses that everything in the entire
          universe is immediately in His presence.

    3.   Per I King 8:27 – But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven
          and the heaven of heavens cannot contain You. How much less this
          temple which I have built!

    4.   Per Jer. 23:24 – Can anyone hide himself in secret places, So I shall not
           see him?” says the Lord; “Do I not fill heaven and earth?” says the Lord.


God is eternal in His Being
    1.   The being of God is eternal in the past and as to the future, God has
          always existed and always will exist, He never began to be, and He will
          never cease to be

    2.   Per Psalm. 90:1, 2 – A Prayer of Moses the man of God. Lord, You have
          been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were
          brought forth, Or ever You had formed the earth and the world, Even
          from everlasting to everlasting, You are God.

    3.   Per Heb. 1: 8-12 – But to the Son He says: “Your throne, O God, is forever
          and ever; A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your Kingdom. 
          You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; Therefore God,
          Your God, has anointed You With the oil of gladness more than Your
          companions.” And: “You, Lord, in the  beginning laid the foundation of
          the earth, And the heavens are the work of Your hands. They will perish,
          but You remain; And they will all grow old like a garment;  Like a cloak
          You will fold them up, And they will be changed. But You are the same,
          And Your years will not fail.”

    4.   Per Psalms 45:6 - Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; A scepter
          of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom.   

     5.  Per Isa. 44:6 – 6 “Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel, And his
          Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: ‘I am the First and I am the Last; Besides
          Me there is no God.


God is Unchangeable in His being
     1.   The immutability of God is clearly taught in the Scripture.
     2.   Mal. 3:6 – “For I am the Lord, I do not change; Therefore you are not
           consumed, O sons of Jacob.

     3.   Heb. 6:17,18 – 17 Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to
           the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an
           oath, that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to
           lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay
           hold of the hope set before us.

    4.   Heb. 13:7, 8 – Remember those who rule over you, who have spoken the
          word of God to you, whose faith follow, considering the outcome of
          their conduct. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

    5.   Note: When the scriptures mention that God repented or changed His
          mind it appears that a contradiction against His immutability exists. 
          However, these are instances of a figure of speech referring to God in
          human terms called anthropomorphisms.  For example, in the prophecy
          of Amos the exhortations are interspersed with visions, some of which
          portend (indicate or signify) dire calamity. Verse 3 says The Lord
          repented for this.  From looking at all the verses in chapter 7 clearly it is
          not teaching that God changes His mind, but that such disasters
          predicted would be just punishment though at the same time God is
          merciful.


God is Infinite, Eternal, and Unchangeable  in His Wisdom
    1.  God is infinite in His wisdom is designates His omniscience.
    2.  God is eternal in His wisdom teaches that God’s omniscience has always
         been His and will always be His.

    3.  God is unchangeable in His wisdom indicate that God’s wisdom can have
         no wisdom added to it or subtracted from it, and that He knows
         everything without exception, he knows truly immutably from eternity
         to eternity.


God is Infinite, Eternal, and Unchangeable in His Power
    1.  God is infinite in His power designates His omnipotence.
    2.  Per Rev. 19:6 – And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as
         the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings,
         saying, “Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns!

    3.  Per II Corin. 6:18 – “I will be a Father to you, And you shall be My sons
         and daughters, Says the Lord Almighty.”


God is Infinite, Eternal, and Unchangeable in His Holiness, Justice, and Goodness
    1.  The holiness, justice, and goodness of God are His moral attributes.
    2.  Holiness is the center and essence of His moral character.
    3.   Justice is the expression of His moral character and His administration
         of rewards and punishments among personal (human) beings.

    4.  The goodness of God signifies His grace and love toward His creatures in
         their sin and in their needs, and it is the outgoing of His goodness in
         mercy.  


God is Infinite, Eternal, and Unchangeable in His Truth
    1.   Per Heb. 6:18 – so that by two immutable (unchanageable) things, in
          which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might
          have strong encouragement to seize the hope set before us.

    2.   Per Titus 1:2 – in hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie,
          promised before time began,

    3.   Per II Tim. 2:13 – If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot
          deny Himself.
   


Person of Christ
     1.  The only Redeemer of God’s elect is the Lord Jesus Christ, who being the
          Eternal Son of God, became man and so was, and continueth to be, God
          and man in two distinct natures, and one person forever.” –
          Westminster
          Shorter Catechism, answer to Q. 21.

     2.  –Per Philip. 2:6-11  –  who, being in the form of God, did not consider it 
          robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation,
          taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.
          And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and 
          became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. 
          Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name
          which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should
          bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the
          earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to
          the glory of God the Father.  

     a.  Verse 6 shows Christ’s pre-existent Deity.  Jesus did not resign, or in any
           way give up His deity in the incarnation.  Throughout the entire course
           of His life in the flesh here upon earth He retained fully and completely
           the divine nature, the complex of attributes essential to his being the
           second Person of the eternal trinity.

     b.  Pre existence – John 1:1-3 – In the beginning was the Word, and the
          Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning
          with God. 3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing
          was made that was made.

     c.  Pre existence – Colos. 1:15-17  – 15 He is the image of the invisible God,
          the firstborn (preeminent) over all creation. 16 For by Him all things
          were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and
          invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All
          things were created through Him and for Him. 17 And He is before all
          things, and in Him all things consist.


 The Doctrine Of The Trinity
 God is one
      1.  Per Deut. 6:4, 5 – 4 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one! 5
           You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul,
           and with all your strength.

      2.  Per Deut. 5:7 – ‘You shall have no other gods before Me.
      3.  Per Isa. 46:9 – 9 Remember the former things of old, For I am God, and
           there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me,

      4.  The unity of the Godhead is just as emphatically taught in the New
           Testament as in the Old, and that, in direct conjunction with the Deity
           of Christ.

             a.  See I Cor. 8:4-6  – 4 Therefore concerning the eating of things
                  offered to idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and
                  that there is no other God but one. For even if there are so-called
                  gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as there are many gods and
                  many lords), yet for us there is one God, the Father, of whom are
                  all things, and we for Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom
                  are all things, and through whom we live.

             b.  See Eph. 4:3-6 – endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the
                   bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were
                   called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one                                     baptism;  one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through
                   all, and in you all.


Jesus is God
     1.  There is no doubt that the early disciples regarded Jesus as God in the
           most absolute sense of the word without limitation or subordination.

             a.  Per Titus 2:13 – looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing
                  of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,

             b.  Per John 20:28 – And Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord
                  and my God!”

             c.  Per II Pet. 1:1-2 – Simon Peter, a bondservant and apostle of Jesus 
                  Christ, To those who have obtained like precious faith with us by
                  the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ: Grace and
                  peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our
                  Lord,

             d.  Per Rom 9:5 – of whom are the fathers and from whom, according
                   to the flesh, Christ came, who is over all, the eternally blessed God.
                   Amen.

     2.   Jesus is also called Lord (Jahweh) in the Old Testament
             a.  Per Mal 3:1 – “Behold, I send My messenger, And he will prepare
                   the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, Will suddenly
                   come to His temple, Even the Messenger of the covenant, In whom
​                   you delight. Behold, He is coming,” Says the Lord of hosts.

              b.  Per Romans 14:10 (But why do you judge your brother? Or why do
                    you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before
                    the judgment seat of Christ.) Paul adds a quotation from Isa. 45:23
                    (I have sworn by Myself; The word has gone out of My mouth in
                    righteousness, And shall not return, That to Me every knee shall
                    bow, Every tongue shall take an oath.).  That Jahweh is the speaker
                    in Isa’s. words is evident in verses 24 & 25 (24 He shall say, ‘Surely
                    in the Lord I have righteousness and strength. To Him men shall
                    come, And all shall be ashamed Who are incensed against Him. 25
                    In the Lord all the descendants of Israel Shall be justified, and
                    shall glory.’ “).  These passages indicate that Christ and God and
                    Jahweh are one.

    3.   Jesus and the Father as God
  JESUS IS EQUAL TO THE FATHER
       1. In His divine nature
       2. In His divine essence
       3. In His divine attributes
       
4. In His divine character
JESUS IS SUBORDINATE TO THE FATHER   
          1. In His human nature
          2. In His human function
          3. In His human office

          4. In His human position
   4.  Athanasius, one of the early church fathers, said the Incarnation was not
        the subtraction of deity; it was the addition of humanity.


The Holy Spirit is God
   1.  See Acts. 5:3, 4 – 3 But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your
        heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself? 4 While it remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not in your own control? Why have you conceived this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.”


                                                 Additional Info.
    1.  The three persons of the Godhead are “the same in substance, equal in 
         power and glory” are based on such scriptures as Heb. 1:3 (3 who being
         the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and
         upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself
         purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,).


    2.  God is one, Jesus is God, the Holy Spirit is God and scripture clearly
         portrays all three are in a subject-object relationship to each other. 
         Perfect unity exists within the Godhead that can not be broken. We
         serve one God (Godhead) and if Jesus is separated from the Godhead, He
         would no longer be God.  Therefore it is imperative that we 
         understand, the nature and attributes of God, the person of Christ,
         and the doctrine of the Trinity.


                                                          In Conclusion  

  We must reject the teaching that God the father literally separated Himself from God the son when  Jesus said on the cross "My God, my God why have thou forsaken me."  This teaching violates the nature and character of God the father, the person of Christ, of the Holy Spirit, and the doctrine of the Trinity.  What exactly did Christ mean? Please see my blog, "Why have thou forsaken me."
       
       Note: Jesus was not left alone to die on the cross. - Jesus Himself said in John 8:28-29, “Then said Jesus to them, When you have lifted up the Son of man, then shall you know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father has taught me, I speak these things. And he that sent me is with me: the Father has not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.” 
    1.  Just think if God left His only begotten son alone, He could leave us
         alone as well.  
    2.  
God does not literally have a back because He is a Spirit. 
    3, The Trinity is eternal and can not ever be separated.
    4.  Jesus could never take on a sin nature and still be pure, holy and divine. 
         Jesus was simply the sin bearer for us. 
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