It seems to me to be a spirit of antichrist which denies full humanity to Jesus Christ. That antichrist spirit seems to be all pervasive. In 1 John 4:2-3, John states that "every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God." The apostle insists on the importance of acknowledging Christ's full humanity, refuting any idea that He merely appeared to be human. The nature of God—divinity—is unchanging and eternal, while humanity is finite and mortal. When Christ became human, He did not cease to exist as the preexistent Son of God, but He voluntarily chose to live without the inherent attributes of divinity, such as immortality, invulnerability, and almighty power. The Christ took on flesh, lived as a man, and subjected Himself to the limitations of human existence. It was not a blending of divinity and humanity into a hybrid nature, but a voluntary setting aside of divine status to fully assume the human condition. This was necessary for Him to fully identify with humanity, face genuine temptation (Hebrews 4:15), and offer Himself as a perfect sacrifice for sin. The Christ's submission to God throughout His life and ministry further supports this understanding. He prayed to God, depended on God's will (Luke 22:42), and declared that "the Father is greater than I" (John 14:28), all of which affirm that His human nature was distinct from the divine nature of God. The Christ truly became flesh, truly lived as a human being, and even after His resurrection, remains human—albeit now glorified, immortal, and endowed with divine privileges and authority. Now he is still the same kind of immortal human his followers will become after their resurrection. He now serves as the vessel through which God’s character, authority, and purpose are fully revealed. We can do as he did when in his weak flesh mortal state, because it was all the same for him as it is for us, if we are believing disciples of his truth. This makes his sayings fully relevant to us. If he did it, we have available the faith to do it too, and even greater things. We can learn to do his works by the faith in the power and love and wisdom of the Father that he too had. Now he is immortal and glorified, we can look forward to one day being like him, when he returns. In the meantime we have his very relevant and appropriate intercessions and mediations with the Father for us, and he teaches that the Father loves us and will hear us when we pray to the Father in Lord Jesus’ name. Be sure the spirit within you acknowledges these things, and only believe that kind of spirit in your life of inspiration in worship and spiritual growth. Let this spirit be among you and not a spirit which denies these things and contradicts them.
