So after reading St. John we can understand why the statement in Philippians is true. Jesus (The Word) did not think it wrong to be equal to God (The Father) because, according to St. John1:1, he was God. And how do I know that the Word is Jesus Christ? Because verse 14 tells us that “, the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us.” And the Word, in St. John, is the same person that, “..became obedient unto the death, even the death of the cross.” in Phil 2:8.
Now there was one thing I hope you did not miss. Who was it that made everything that was made? That’s right! It was the Word. And who is the Word? Jesus Christ. Now let’s go to Colossians (NT) to confirm this.
In this book we have Paul addressing the Colossians and encouraging them to stay strong in the faith, but not before letting them know whom it is that they should be thanking:
Col. 1:12-17 12. Giving thanks to the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:
13. Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:
14. In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:
15. Who is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of every creature:
16. For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities,
or powers: all things were created by him, and for him.
17. And he is above all things, and by him all things consist.
Here are two more scriptures to consider:
Hebrews 1:1-2 1.God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,
2. Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds.
Ephesians 3:9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:
Obviously Paul is telling the listeners the exact same thing St John said. And what he is saying is that the person that we have come to know as the Word, or Jesus Christ, is the one that created everything, which we just read in (3) verses above; Col. l:17, Heb. 1:2 and Eph. 3:9.
Now this is very important. Let’s reason together for a moment and review the facts we’ve found in the scriptures:
We know that Jesus Christ is God and found it not robbery to be equal to God (The Father). (NT) Phil 2:6.
We know that Jesus humbled himself and became obedient unto the death of the cross. (NT) Phil 2:8.
We know that the Word (Jesus Christ) was God. He was made flesh and dwelt among us. (NT) St. John 1: 1 & 14.
And finally we know that the Word made everything that was made. “ For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in the earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him. (NT) Col 12:16.
Now at this point it should be quite clear as to what these scriptures are saying, but just incase, here it is in a nutshell:
Jesus Christ, also known as the Word, created everything that was created and he is GOD!!
Now this may be new to you, but believe me, once you realize who the true God of the OT is, it should really change the way you view the entire bible.
Now let’s read a few scriptures with the understanding of who we are actually dealing with.
Let’s look at the very first verse in the first book of the bible, Genesis. Now when we read, “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.”, according to the facts we just learned, who was it that created the heaven and the earth? That’s right, it was The Word. And we know the Word was God because we just proved it through the scriptures. And again in vs. 3 when it says, “And God said, Let there be light.,.,” once again it was The Word. Can you see where this is going?
Now I know this goes against all that most were taught, but like I said in the beginning of this lesson, I’m just letting the scriptures interpret themselves. Let’s look further:
1) Gen 1: 27. So God created man in his own image,.,.,. The Word!
2) Ex 3:14 And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt
thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you. The Word!
3) Ex 31:12-13. 12. And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
13. Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my Sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the Lord that doeth sanctify you. The Word!
Lev 11: 1-2. 1. And the Lord spake unto Moses and to Aaron, saying unto them,
2. Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, These are the beast which ye shall eat among all the beasts that are on the earth. The Word!
Ex 20 1-4 1. And God spake all of these words, saying,
2. I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. 3. Thou shalt have no other gods before me. 4. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image,.,.,. The Word!
At this point you are probably saying to yourself, “Surely at some point in time, man has had some contact with God the Father!” But the fact is, AT NO TIME, HAS MAN, ANY MAN, HAD ANY CONTACT WITH GOD THE FATHER! And why can I make such a bold statement? Because Jesus Christ said in St. John 5: 37 – And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape.
Let’s reason for a moment, Jesus specifically said, no one has heard the voice, nor seen the shape of GOD THE FATHER AT ANYTIME, that means NEVER!
St. John 5: 37 – And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape.
St. John 6: 46 – Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he which is of God, he hath seen the Father.
But how can this be? We just read about people in the OT that saw the shape of God, talked with God, even had a meal with God. Now please hear me out with what I am about to say…….. either Jesus Christ lied when He said no one has ever heard or seen God the Father……or…….it was someone else the people heard and saw. The question is, if it was not God the Father, then who was it they saw? After reading the scriptures above, the answer is quite obvious…….It was Jesus Christ who was the God of the Old Testament. It was Jesus Christ, the creator of everything that was created that the people saw, heard and ate with.
Now if Jesus is the God of the Old Testament, which He is, that can only mean one thing: There is Jesus Christ, the only God man has ever known and ever had any contact with, and then there is the One that became known as God the Father, the “...invisible God…”, the one whose voice no man has ever heard or shape no man has ever seen. These two… that’s right (2), are distinct, separate beings, and they ALONE make up the Godhead,…. but that is another lesson. For now, let’s read and learn more about Jesus Christ, The God of the Old Testament!
More Proof
Now I’m not sure how many scriptures it will take to convince you that the person we’ve come to know as Jesus Christ is the God of the Old Testament, but here are a few more verses to help you understand.
Let’s go back to the (OT) and start in Exodus. Here the Lord has just led the children of Israel out of Egypt and was leading them into the wilderness.
Ex 13: 21-22. 21. And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day
and night:
22. He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people.
Now let’s go to the (NT) and find what Paul had to say about the journey that their fathers took out of the land of Egypt. Let’s start in I Corinthians.
Cor 10; 1-4. 1. Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;
2. And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea.
3. And did all eat the same spiritual meat;
And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual
Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.
So what the Apostle Paul is saying here is that the same God that followed the children of