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God Incarnate Nullifies

Faith

John M. Bland

Another error caused by the theology of Jesus being "God incarnate" is captured
with the question, was Jesus a man of faith? If Jesus pre-existed before his birth as a
member of the Godhead, then he was simply implementing his own scheme while on
earth. If this is the case, he certainly could not be what he often challenged his followers
to be -- a person of faith. "Oh you of little faith" was uttered several times to those he
taught.

Jesus' words and actions, however, were a constant tribute to his personal faith.
As has been before proven, Jesus (after his anointing) practiced miraculous signs by the
power of God's holy spirit. He also continually alluded to what he taught as words that
came from the Father and not from himself. In this, he affirmed that he was acting
according to the same faith that other prophets of God had acted upon. It was necessary
that he follow the message received by him through "inspiration" and do accordingly.
After his anointing, he was led into the wilderness by the spirit to undergo special
temptation. Jesus answered the Adversary by faith, i.e., he quoted scripture. In this way,
Jesus demonstrated the same method of resistance that all believers are called upon to use
(see Ephesians 6:10ff). How did Jesus know that there were 12 legions of angels at his
disposal? If Jesus did not act by faith, why the intense anguish and tears in the garden?

The fact that Jesus was 100% man makes his life and ministry even more
compelling. He had to accept "by faith" that he had no earthly father. He had to accept
"by faith" that he was the Messiah. He had to accept "by faith" the redemption plan and
the necessity of dying the death of the cursed on a tree. When you couple his actions of
"faith" with the tremendous love of humanity resident in him you can understand why the
apostle Paul had trouble comprehending the "love of the Anointed which surpasses
knowledge."

Reader, try contemplating Jesus from the view that he was not God incarnate for
just a moment as you meditate on the following scriptures:

For this reason I bow my knees to the Father from whom the whole family in
heaven and earth is named, so that he would give to you, according to the wealth
of his glory, to be strengthened with strength through his breath in the inner man,
that the Anointed One may dwell in your hearts through trust; so that you, being
rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the holy ones
what is the width and length and depth and height -- to know the love of Christ