Source: http://www.christinme-international.com/2018/05/one-god/

(Average read: 5 Minutes).

This is the fourth, instalment where I set out to show the simple inconsistencies and the poor reflection on the Scriptures from “Christ In Me International” (Pretoria, SA). From here on, I will refer to ‘Christ in Me International’ in abbreviated terms as ‘CIMI’. The availability of their article is found at the following link: ‘One God’. Let us look at their perspective and reply to it systematically.

CIMI States:

No one born from a woman was greater than John the Baptist. “Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he” (Matt. 11:11). This included Jesus, for he himself was also born from a woman as a son of man.

Reply:

Clearly, in this portion of Scripture, Jesus is using hyperbolic language of John illustrating the reality that John inaugurates a new era of the Kingdom that has surpassed the old. John was the one that was prophesied about making the way for ‘Ha Adon’ (Mal.1:3; Isa.40:3, 5, 8&10; Matt.3:3; Luke 7:27) (the Lord Yahweh) Himself. Jesus (being the one John made the way for) is not saying John is greater than he is in essence but simply highlights the fact that He was a sign from God as the culmination of the greatest eschatological event in history(Mat.4:17). Luke (7:28) also shows that everyone in the Kingdom is greater than John because they are included in the new dispensation, but this does not marginalise John’s Prophetic office and significance in the plan and Kingdom of God. Therefore, John is not lesser in office because ‘the least’ are greater than he is, and Jesus is not lesser God because He made John the greater man born of a woman.

CIMI States:

When Satan tempted Jesus, Jesus did not say to him that he (Satan) should worship him (Jesus). Jesus said to him: “Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve’ “(Matt 4:10).

Reply:

CIMI assumes that Jesus was never Worshipped but we can see in the preceding chapters (Matt.2:11) that the Magi Worship Jesus and His Disciples did Worship Him (Matt.14:33; 28:17). CIMI also need to read the verse 11 that says when Satan departed ‘the angels served Him’ [Christ]. So Jesus is evidently served and Worshiped right through the whole context of Matthew’s Gospel.

CIMI States:

GOD is not a man nor a son of man. “God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?” (Num. 23:19). (Also see 1 Sam 15:29, Hos 11:9.)

Reply:

CIMI need to look at what the author wants to convey, this is speaking about the assurance of God’s decree and NOT about the anatomy of God’s nature.

CIMI States:

Jesus needed to learn obedience; he needed to grow to perfection and was called by GOD as High Priest… He was not born that way. 8 though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. 9 And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him, 10 called by God as High Priest “according to the order of Melchizedek” (Heb 5:8-10).

Reply:

CIMI commits the fallacy of the undistributed middle; they hold that just because Jesus functions in the office of High Priest, it excludes the possibility of His divinity. However, we clearly see that even God functions as a Father, at no expense of His Deity, likewise, Jesus as our perfect example (Joh.13:13-16; 1Pet.2:20-22; Heb.2:5-18; 4:14-15; 12:1-2) accomplishes the very function as Our High Priest without the violation of His own divinity.

CIMI States:

If Jesus was GOD, then why was he given commandments from the FATHER? Why would GOD be giving commands to HIMSELF? 49 ”For I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak. 50 And I know that His command is everlasting life. Therefore, whatever I speak, just as the Father has told Me, so I speak” (John 12:49-50).

Reply:

Jesus clearly does the will of the Father and as our perfect example (Joh.13:15; 1 Pet.2:21) and the obedient Son endeavours to please the Father completely in our stead. It is also important to notice that the Son emptied Himself (Phil 2:5-6) and ultimately returned to the full state of glory He had with the Father before the World began (Joh.17:5). Jesus is therefore not denying His inferiority as the perfect example and obedient Son, as servant (Matt.12:18). But He is not negating His superiority as One existing before time with the Father being equal with God in function and ontology (cf. John 5:17-18; 8:58-59).

CIMI States:

Jesus never claimed the glory he possessed was his own but always acknowledged that he received it from the FATHER. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one (John 17:22). Now they have known that all things which You have given Me are from You (John 17:7).

Reply:

God has an unmitigated glory (Isa.48:11) and He share that glory with no one! Yet, Jesus shared in that glory (Joh.17:5) and acknowledge that all things that the Father possess the Son possess also (v/10). Jesus speaks relationally and not existentially when He shares that glory (Isa.48:2; Joh.1:14; Phil.2:11) with His own disciples so that they might know the Father (v/5+v/25-26) because Christ makes God known (Joh.1:18). In no way is man semi-divinized or equal in worth to Christ, but made worthy to be partakers of the new man (Christ’s) nature (Rom.8:15; Gal.4:4-5).

CIMI States:

So Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God (Mark 10:18). Take note, Jesus the son of man said this.

Reply:

If one would look closely at this verse, he should quickly notice that Jesus NEVER said that He Himself was NOT ‘good’! He merely asked, “Why callest thou me good?” Jesus wanted to know “WHY,” that’s all! Furthermore, Jesus openly declared elsewhere that He Himself was the “GOOD shepherd” (Jn. 10:11). Psalm 23 declares YHWH as the “shepherd,” and Jesus is called the “GOOD” shepherd. Brooks commentary says; “Jesus is essentially saying to the ruler; ”Do you know what you are implying? You call me good; therefore, you are identifying me as God” (Brooks Commentary on Mark Pg.162).J.P Holding adds; “In Jewish thought, God was pre-eminently good; so that the ruler was indeed offering Jesus a compliment usually reserved for God”.

CIMI States:

And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Matt 27:46). GOD cannot forsake HIMSELF?

Reply:

CIMI refers to the idiomatic Aramaic cry of dereliction on the cross trying to show that the Father forsook Jesus. It is important to note that for Matthew specifically, he is communicating to a Jewish context that would have known what he was referring to which is, in this case, Psalm22:1. He is clearly showing them that Christ is the fulfilment of this future prophetic statement uttered by David in this Psalm. We also see Matthew doing this throughout the whole Gospel for example: (Mat.1:23; 2:6&18; 3:3; 4:4, 6, 10, 15-16; 8:17) and we can clearly see that Matthew is affirming what was prophesied in the Old Testamental Books. It is important to notice that David even declares the Messiah will not see decay in His death and He was not forsaken (Psalm.16:10; 22:8, 19-31). So this comment is just a red herring.

CIMI States:

Jesus was made (not born) Lord and Christ by GOD. “Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.” (Acts 2:36)

Reply:

CIMI is equivocating when they presume once more that “Jesus was made” and that excludes Him being Lord and Christ. Scripture is clear that Jesus was both Lord (Luk.1:41-44; 2:4-12) and Christ at His birth (Joh.1:1 & 14, Col.2:9) forever more (Acts 10:36, 42). Christ after His incarnation was the perfect God/Man that subjected Himself to the law to fulfil all its demands (Gal.4:4) coming as the expected Messiah establishing both a Kingdom rule that would last forever and establishing His rulership on the earth as in heaven (Luk.1:33, Heb.1:1-13; Phil 2:10-11).

Conclusion:

Clearly, an internationally acclaimed Church that has the only supposed decree from God struggle to grapple even the essential components of Christology and the basic imperatives from the Christian Scriptures. We recognize time and again that the leadership of this community has no foundational understanding of sound biblical hermeneutics or any concern with the objective well-being of its members. Let us persist in our prayers for them and pray that God will enlighten their understanding and bring those who are His close to Himself.

PS Rudolph P. Boshoff.