The incarnation
(A helpful picture for understanding the point-of-view of this article below, click to enlarge).
An interesting way of thinking about the incarnation (where God became a man - Jesus) might proceed along these lines:
First off, let's say that consciousness is kind of similar to our concept of 'infinity.' You can never have more than one actual infinity, e.g. infinity plus infinity equals infinity. Let's say that, like infinity, 'mind' is possessive. So you can never have more than one being who is completely made out of mind. The being who is completely made out of mind we call 'God.' So there can be only one God.
Because you can't have more than one person who is 'completely mind' (one God) all other minds must be 'half-minds.' Being a 'half-mind' means that your mind needs to be based off a physical brain. Humans are 'half-minds' because unlike God, our mind is dependent on and makes use of a physical brain.
Let's say that normally, when God makes a half-mind (like you or me), we immediately have our OWN personality the moment mind and brain meet. This personality is totally unique for each of us and different to God's personality.
The way the incarnation worked is that instead of creating another unique personality when He made Jesus' body (which God did for everyone else), God used HIS OWN mind in the body of Jesus. So Jesus did not have a separate 'mind' to the Father but Jesus had the Father's mind matched to His brain. So Jesus had the soul/personality of God Himself. Therefore the soul of Jesus was the soul of someone who had chosen to do the right thing for an eternity (God) in every possible situation. Thus Jesus found Himself always choosing to do the right thing - because His soul was a perfect soul. Accordingly, He was sinless even although He was tempted in all ways as we (Heb 4:15)! And of course this means that Jesus and the Father are one (John 10:30) as they are the same soul (even though Jesus has a physical body, unlike God who is 'completely mind').
So Jesus and the Father are one - Jesus' soul is the soul of God, although the Father has more 'mind' than just a soul. The Father is 'completely mind' as opposed to 'half-mind-half-brain' like you, me, and the incarnate Jesus (note: being completely mind makes God a trinity, allows Him to look at minds like we can look at a painting, among other things).
An interesting way of thinking about the incarnation (where God became a man - Jesus) might proceed along these lines:
First off, let's say that consciousness is kind of similar to our concept of 'infinity.' You can never have more than one actual infinity, e.g. infinity plus infinity equals infinity. Let's say that, like infinity, 'mind' is possessive. So you can never have more than one being who is completely made out of mind. The being who is completely made out of mind we call 'God.' So there can be only one God.
Because you can't have more than one person who is 'completely mind' (one God) all other minds must be 'half-minds.' Being a 'half-mind' means that your mind needs to be based off a physical brain. Humans are 'half-minds' because unlike God, our mind is dependent on and makes use of a physical brain.
Let's say that normally, when God makes a half-mind (like you or me), we immediately have our OWN personality the moment mind and brain meet. This personality is totally unique for each of us and different to God's personality.
The way the incarnation worked is that instead of creating another unique personality when He made Jesus' body (which God did for everyone else), God used HIS OWN mind in the body of Jesus. So Jesus did not have a separate 'mind' to the Father but Jesus had the Father's mind matched to His brain. So Jesus had the soul/personality of God Himself. Therefore the soul of Jesus was the soul of someone who had chosen to do the right thing for an eternity (God) in every possible situation. Thus Jesus found Himself always choosing to do the right thing - because His soul was a perfect soul. Accordingly, He was sinless even although He was tempted in all ways as we (Heb 4:15)! And of course this means that Jesus and the Father are one (John 10:30) as they are the same soul (even though Jesus has a physical body, unlike God who is 'completely mind').
So Jesus and the Father are one - Jesus' soul is the soul of God, although the Father has more 'mind' than just a soul. The Father is 'completely mind' as opposed to 'half-mind-half-brain' like you, me, and the incarnate Jesus (note: being completely mind makes God a trinity, allows Him to look at minds like we can look at a painting, among other things).
Labels: image of God, nature of God, the incarnation
posted by Will G | Saturday, May 23, 2009
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