Interesting Questions-70 

Jesus Christ a man in heaven

Letter to the Editor:
PASUGO, September 1995, p.2

THE FIRST LETTER of Timothy (2:5) states that Jesus Christ is man who is the mediator between men and God, the Father. According to the Bible, when Jesus had risen from the dead He said that he would go up to heaven to eventually sit at the right hand of the Lord God.

Is Jesus Christ who is now in heaven with the Father still a human being?  Or is He already spirit in nature?

Rolando Romero
Ilocos Norte, Philippines

Editor's reply:

      Christ, who now sits at the right hand of God (cf. Col. 3:1), remains to be a man. Psalms 80:17 states, thus:

     “Let your hand rest on the man at your right hand, the son of man you have raised up for yourself.” (New International Version)

     It is quite clear from the preceding passage that the “son of man,” our Lord Jesus Christ, is man and not God. Had Christ been God, He would not have been called Son of Man (cf, Jn. 12:34) for God is neither man nor a son of man (cf. Num. 23:19).

     Our Lord Jesus Christ clearly distinguished His nature from that of God when He said:

     “Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.” (Lk. 24:39)

     God, being spirit in nature, does not have flesh and bones (cf. Jn. 4:24). Hence, God does not have the same nature as Christ’s. However, although Christ is a man, He no longer possesses the same body that had experienced pain, suffering and death before his ascension to heaven. Apostle Paul states:

     “But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.” (Phil. 3:20-21, NIV)

     What does it mean that Christ’s body became glorious? Does it mean he became God? No, because if He did, then those to be saved would also become gods as their bodies “will be like his glorious body.” Rather, it means that the Savior’s body which was once perishable and mortal became imperishable or immortal (cf. I Cor. 15:50-54).

     Thus, even though Christ is now in heaven, He remains to be a man.        

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Bible Study Suggestion: If you have further questions, please feel free to visit the Iglesia ni Cristo congregation nearest you. A minister or an evangelical worker would be happy to answer any biblical question you have in mind.