Prelude:
“The following is a brilliant synopsis of this study by Brother Jon Lutz. This work by Brother Jon, has been undoubtedly inspired by the unction of the Holy Spirit. To God be the Glory Forever, Amen, Maranatha! I pray the reader’s eyes be opened to the truth spoken here which is based on the infallible word of God, King James Bible:
QUOTE:
“No man hath seen God at any time, the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him (John 1:18)
The word of God is deep within Him and no man can know it until He speaks. He spoke from his bosom. The bosom signifies where all spoken words come from, the lungs, deep within the person. The bosom also signifies the heart which runs deeper yet and is more mysterious than the lungs.
In John, when the Word was made flesh in Jesus, He was a container for the Father and was one with the Father. Though the Son was distinct from the Father, He was not separate from the Father because He was His Word containing His essential and exact spirit. The Father was abiding in the Son (John 14:10,11). Those who do not believe the deity of Christ have made a tragic under sight.
Wait, if Jesus Christ as the Father’s Word containing His essential and exact spirit, how is this any different than this, from your blog Defending The Godhead against the Trinity?
Look carefully at this context of verses 6 through 9. The Holy Spirit is not a person but Spirit of whom both The Father and Jesus Christ are that Spirit. Harmonize numerous scriptures beginning with creation (we are in His Image (Jesus, hands, feet, face) and after the likeness of the Godhead (plural 3 parts) Genesis 1:26. We are not 3 bodies or persons walking around but rather one body comprised of 3 parts: Body, Soul, Spirit 1 Thessalonians 5:23. Continue with essential scripture to harmonize, to wit: Romans 8:9, John 6:46, Colossians 1:15, 2:9, John 14:9, John 8:58, Exodus 3:14, Matthew 10:20, ETC. (Take the necessary time to read each scripture and harmonize these with 1 John 5:7,8. They can’t be harmonized with 3 individual persons.
Therefore, we see clearly that there is only one body Jesus Christ, and the FATHER resides within Jesus Christ as the HOLY SPIRIT functioning as THE SOUL (will – I came not to do my will, but the will of the father, John 6:38-40). Three Parts = Body, Soul, and Spirit. We are made after His Likeness Genesis 1:26, same essence – body, soul, spirit. See 1 Thessalonians 5:23
Looking closely at 1 John 5:5-8 KJV using context we see clearly the biblical truth of 3 witnesses bear record as one witness – or in other words – 3 bear witness in one accord that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. We have to look in the context of verses 5 – 8 to see that in accordance with Deuteronomy 17:6 KJV and Matthew 18:16 KJV etc. Jesus Christ is the Son of God and The Spirit bears witness of this. In heaven 3 bear witness of this and on earth 3 bear witness of this. Verse 7 proves Jesus is the Visible image of God and possesses the Holy Spirit to witness He is come as the Son of God. Verse 8 proves Jesus Christ came to earth as the Son of God by Spirit – Water – Blood and all of these are a testimony of this truth. Amen!
Therefore, we see clearly that there is only one body Jesus Christ, and the FATHER resides within Jesus Christ as the HOLY SPIRIT functioning as THE SOUL (will – I came not to do my will, but the will of the father, John 6:38-40). Three Parts = Body, Soul, and Spirit. We are made after His Likeness Genesis 1:26, same essence – body, soul, spirit. See 1 Thessalonians 5:23
If one did not properly harmonize 1 Thessalonians 5:23 with 1 John 5:7 we would have to conclude that I am actually three distinct people living in one person. We bear the image of Jesus Christ – face, hands, legs – in His image (Genesis 1:26). Jesus is the ONLY BODY PERSON. The Father is Spirit in witness as the Soul within Jesus Christ.
The Godhead (God The Father, The Son of God, and The Holy Spirit) created man (male and female) in His (The Godhead) image by breathing the breath of life into him (spirit) into him. (note 1)
Jesus continually tells us that He and the Father are one and that when you see the Father you see him. We are also told that Jesus Christ is the image of the invisible God and the Godhead. (note 2).
We believe that there is only one God and not 3 separate gods within one god as the trinity teaches. We believe in the Godhead (note 3)
Question asked. How can God be living in Jesus and We in God?
Answer: God (Godhead) created man in His image. We are comprised of body, soul and spirit. So, therefore when Jesus dwelt on earth, he was living and moving as fully God and fully man. The divine nature of Jesus Christ obviously had God the Father dwelling in him as spirit and since the Holy Spirit is also a part of the Godhead it would make sense that God The Father would be the function of the soul. But where is this in scripture? In Genesis scriptures in (note 1) . We have the witness of the Oxford hard copy dictionary clearly showing the complete meaning of Soul. (note 4 ) .
In John 4:24 we are told that God is “a” (not the as in the Holy Spirit) Spirit. The word Spirit here is the exact same word as Soul, depending on context. Please see endnote 5. Please see examples of the translations interchanged. Luke 12:19-23, Mark 3:4 for example. It is important to note that the function of the soul makes it possible for the spirit and the body to communicate and to cooperate. Please see the following paragraph on the end depth study of Spirit, Soul, and Body by Watchman Nee in “The Spiritual Man.”
For a complete and in depth study of Spirit, Soul and Body based on scripture please read Watchman Nee, “The Spiritual Man” edition 1968. Modern versions have been corrupted by the new publisher. Note: Watchman Nee uses ASV taken from the King James and there are also Darby study Bible references that can be read with the King James Version.
ENDNOTES:
Note 1: Genesis 1:26, 27; 2:7
Genesis 1:26-27 King James Version (KJV)
26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
Genesis 2:7 King James Version (KJV)
7 And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living so
Note 2: Colossians 1:15; 2:9
Colossians 1:15 King James Version (KJV)
15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature
Colossians 2:9 King James Version (KJV)
9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
Note 3
Godhead is Biblical Trinity and Modalism are heretical teaching
Godhead vs Trinity – the Early Church (thethirdheaventraveler.com)
Come Meet my Kinsman Redeemer (thethirdheaventraveler.com)
The Bible shows us 7 Raptures (thethirdheaventraveler.com)
Let's talk Grammar and Trinity (thethirdheaventraveler.com)
Note 4: Complete Oxford English Dictionary hardcopy from the 20 volume micrographically reproduced 1971 Oxford University Press
SOUL: The spiritual part of man in contrast to the purely physical. To breathe – to fill with life, to quicken, filled with life spirit to give life to; to breathe life into. (Note we’re looking at a Noun being identified by a stative verb to define the very essence of a living being.
This is extremely important. We often think the purpose of a verb in English Grammar is to describe the action, activity of the subject. But in the case of Genesis defining God the Father as functioning as the Soul, we see clearly that the verb breathe (into) is a stative function when we look at the full definition of the word soul as in context.
Study Grammar function of stative verb is a class of word that indicates a state of being of an object or a living being.
Note 5: Translations of Soul Soul or psyche (Ancient Greek: ψυχή psūkhḗ, of ψύχειν psū́khein, “to breathe”) are the mental abilities of a living being: reason, character, feeling, consciousness, memory, perception, thinking, etc.”
Tranlation of Spirit in Ancient Greek is exactly the same as Soul, depending on context The soul or spirit in Ancient Greek is psyche (ψυχη); in later Biblical Greek pneuma (πνευμα=breath) also occurs, usually as the Spirit of God.
Since Soul can also be translated as Spirit we have to look at why the King James Version Bible translators used Spirit here in John 4:24 instead of Soul. The answer is in context. God is Spirit and when identified in John 4:24 he is identified as such. In order to worship God The Father we must worship him in spirit and in truth. When God breathed into man, man became a living soul. When Spirit meets flesh the soul is then activated. For detailed information please consult Watchman Nee’s “The Spiritual Man” with detailed scripture references to fully understand the function of the Spirit, Soul, and Body. Also Please look at the Strong Concordance definitions below:
G4151
Original: πνεῦμα
Transliteration: pneuma
Phonetic: pnyoo’-mah
Thayer Definition:
the third person of the triune God, the Holy Spirit, coequal, coeternal with the Father and the Son
sometimes referred to in a way which emphasises his personality and character (the Spirit)
sometimes referred to in a way which emphasises his work and power (the Spirit of 1c) never referred
to as a depersonalized force the spirit, i.e. the vital principal by which the body is animated
the rational spirit, the power by which the human being feels, thinks, decides
the soul
a spirit, i.e. a simple essence, devoid of all or at least all grosser matter, and possessed of the
power of knowing, desiring, deciding, and acting
a life giving spirit a human soul that has left the body
a spirit higher than man but lower than God, i.e. an angel
used of demons, or evil spirits, who were conceived as inhabiting the bodies of men
the spiritual nature of Christ, higher than the highest angels and equal to God, the divine nature of Christ
the disposition or influence which fills and governs the soul of any one
the efficient source of any power, affection, emotion, desire, etc.
a movement of air (a gentle blast)
of the wind, hence the wind itself
breath of nostrils or mouth
Origin: from G4154
G5594
Original: ψύχω
Transliteration: psuchō
Phonetic: psoo’-kho
Thayer Definition:
to breathe, blow, cool by blowing
to be made or grow cool or cold
metaphorically of waning love
Origin: a primary verb
TDNT entry: None
Part(s) of speech: Verb
Strong’s Definition: A primary verb; to breathe (voluntarily but gently ; thus differing on the one hand from G4154, which denotes properly a forcible respiration; and on the other from the base of G109, which refers properly to an inanimate breeze), that is, (by implication of reduction of temperature by evaporation) to chill (figuratively): – wax cold.TDNT entry: 11:32,9
Part(s) of speech: Noun Neuter
Strong’s Definition: From G4154; a current of air, that is, breath (blast) or a breeze ; by analogy or figuratively a spirit, that is, (human) the rational soul, (by implication) vital principle, mental disposition, etc., or (superhuman) an angel, daemon, or (divine) God, Christ’s spirit, the Holy spirit : – ghost, life, spirit (-ual, -ually), mind. Compare G5590.