 | Dr. John Click, has been the Pastor of Immanuel Baptist Church for 27 years now he is the pastor emeritus. He’s a graduate of Baylor University with a BA and Southwestern Seminary with a BD. He received his DMin at Midwestern Seminary. He has served in numerous positions in the Southern Baptist Convention, including: President of the Kansas/Nebraska Convention, Executive Committee of SBC, North American Mission Board, International Mission Board, and Houston Baptist University Board. He has traveled to preach in Europe, Central and South America and the Far East. Dr. Click is the founder and first President of Harvest Communications, which is a TV production company specializing in producing teaching materials for Para- Church organizations. You may contact him for comments or questions by e-mail at: Jcclick99@aol.com. |
Religion
2009-05-01 11:45:00
How could Jesus become more “all-wise”
Question: In Luke 2:52, it states, “And Jesus advanced in wisdom, and age, and grace with God and men.” I can understand how He would advance in age from his human nature, but how could He advance in wisdom? If God is all-knowing and all-wise, how could He be more all-knowing and more all-wise?
Answer: You have just discovered one of the great beliefs of Christianity! God became a man! He experienced humanity, starting from a few microscopic cells and ending as a 33 year old man; He didn’t skip a single stage, so that we can know that Christ in Heaven can actually understand us! Other religions may believe that a man became God, but not that God became man. This means that He experienced every thing that we do, including having to learn to walk and talk. The Bible says that He gave up (for a time) many of the characteristics of God the Father, as you quote.
Listen to some of the descriptions of this in the New Testament:
“Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, ...and being made in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore also God has highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name; that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow...and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Phil. 2:5-11.
“He had to be made like His brothers in all things, that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For since He Himself was tempted in that which He suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted. Hebrews 2:17-18
“For we do not have a great high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and may find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:15-16
Since Jesus lived life like a human, having to go through “growing up”, learning everything just as we do, and under near-poverty conditions....we can believe that He can understand us when we pray. He was tempted! And He died to pay for our sins! He had no sins of his own to pay for. The Good News of the Gospel is that He offers us forgiveness and His help for living. Have you invited Him into your life?
