From a non-Trinitarian perspective, the nature of God, or divinity, is distinct and fundamentally different from human nature. This understanding emphasizes the unique character of God's divinity in contrast to humanity and highlights the profound act of Christ in setting aside His divine privileges to become fully human. This truth, upheld by Christ’s apostles, demonstrates that the Messiah became flesh and truly lived as a human being, and even after His resurrection, He remains human—albeit now glorified, immortal, and endowed with divine privileges and authority.
Christ’s Incarnation: Setting Aside Divine Privileges
The apostle Paul describes the humility of Christ in Philippians 2:6-8:
"Who, being in the form of God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross."
This passage underscores that Christ, who existed in the "form of God" (His preexistent divine nature), chose to relinquish the privileges and status of divinity to live as a human being. By "emptying Himself," He did not cease to exist as the preexistent Son of God but voluntarily laid aside divine prerogatives, such as omnipotence and omniscience, to fully experience the human condition. His humanity was not an illusion or a mere appearance; He truly became flesh and lived as a man, facing hunger, pain, and temptation (Hebrews 4:15).
This profound humility—God's chosen Messiah living as a man—enabled Christ to be the perfect mediator between God and humanity, as Paul states in 1 Timothy 2:5:
"For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus."
The emphasis on Christ being “the man” reflects His genuine humanity, both during His earthly ministry and after His resurrection.
Christ’s Humanity Affirmed by the Apostles
The apostles consistently affirmed that Jesus was fully human during His life on earth. Peter, addressing the crowd in Acts 2:22, declared:
"Men of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs, which God did among you through Him, as you yourselves know."
Peter distinguishes Jesus from God, identifying Him as a man through whom God performed miracles. This highlights the dependency of Jesus, as a human, on God’s power and will.
John also emphasizes Christ’s humanity, especially in combating early false teachings that denied His true incarnation. In 1 John 4:2-3, he writes:
"This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God."
This statement insists that Christ's incarnation was real and that His humanity is central to the gospel message.
Christ After the Resurrection: Glorified Humanity
After His resurrection, Christ did not shed His humanity. Instead, He was glorified and transformed, becoming immortal and incorruptible, yet still retaining His physical body. In Luke 24:39, Jesus reassures His disciples of His tangible humanity:
"Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have."
He even ate with His disciples (Luke 24:42-43) to demonstrate that His resurrected body was not a spiritual or ethereal form but a glorified human body. Similarly, in John 20:27, Jesus invites Thomas to touch His wounds, further affirming the continuity of His physical nature after the resurrection.
While Christ remains human, His resurrection body is now the prototype for what His faithful followers will become. Paul explains in Philippians 3:21:
"He will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like His glorious body."
This transformation is further elaborated in 1 Corinthians 15:42-49, where Paul contrasts the perishable, mortal human body with the imperishable, immortal body believers will receive in the resurrection. Christ’s post-resurrection existence is the perfect model for this future state.
Christ’s Exaltation: Ever-Increasing Authority
Though Christ is now glorified and endowed with divine privileges, His status is not identical to the divine status He held before His incarnation. Instead, His exaltation as Lord is a process granted by God, a result of His obedience and sacrifice. Hebrews 2:9 states:
"But we see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for a little while, now crowned with glory and honor because He suffered death, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone."
Likewise, Philippians 2:9-11 explains that God exalted Jesus because of His obedience:
"Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."
This passage reveals that Christ’s exaltation is the result of God’s appointment and not a return to the same divine status He had before His incarnation. Christ, as Lord, continues to grow in authority, fulfilling His God-given role as ruler and judge (Acts 17:31).
Conclusion
In this non-Trinitarian view, Christ remains fully human after His resurrection, though glorified and immortal. He now possesses divine privileges and authority, such as the power to judge and rule, granted to Him by God. This does not mean He has reacquired the exact divine status He held before His incarnation. Instead, His humanity is glorified, serving as the prototype for what His followers will one day become. As Paul explains, Christ’s role as Lord is ever-increasing, culminating in the final establishment of God’s kingdom.
By becoming human and remaining human, Christ serves as the mediator between God and mankind and the perfect example for His followers. His life, death, resurrection, and exaltation demonstrate God’s love and plan for humanity’s future glorification.
Stephen D Green and ChatGPT, 2024
God bless you all who hold to his truth that is in Jesus Christ.
