Cross Style

Where Christ Is All

Cory Clark

The Word Became Flesh

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by Cory Clark

The Word became flesh is found in the climax within the prologue of John Chapter one. Most scholars agree that John chose to write a prologue after he wrote the body of the gospel. Perhaps even more intriguing is that although John wrote the prologue after the letter, he still placed the prologue at the beginning of the book. His purpose for this is to provide focus for the letter itself. Scholars agree that John is writing his theology which provides a lens for when we read the dialogues throughout the gospel. If a person were to skip over the prologue there is danger of missing the purpose, and focus, of the book itself.

John begins by writing about the relationship between the Word and the Trinity in the first couple of verses and then moves on to describe the Word’s relationship with creation. In verses 6-9 John the Baptist is the example of a man created through Jesus, and verses 10-13 show how we are created through Jesus when we receive Him. Verse 14 is the climax of the prologue. It is also a powerful statement referring to the plan of God, which is implemented through the Word to bring people into a new birth in God (verse 13).

The Word became flesh. One might not take much notice of the word γινομαι (became) in the sentence, except for the realization that John has already used this word seven times prior to the usage here. It is also interesting that the word John uses is γινομαι since there is a more common word John would typically use to refer to becoming, or came. Instead of using the common word, John uses γινομαι and has used this word carefully throughout the prologue. It denotes change from what something once was not to something totally new. In other words, a subject becomessomething that it never was before. The force behind this word can be best explained from John 1:3, describing creation. Creation had no substance but it became a substance. It refers to a total shift into a substance that it previously never had. John 1:14 exclaims that the Word became flesh.Jesus came into the substance of humanity, when he previously did not have the substance of humanity.

What is most striking is the choice that John uses to describe the substance that Jesus takes. He does not use the more accepted Greek word to describe the essence Jesus becomes; instead he uses the Greek word σαρξ. This word is typically used to talk about the sinful body, the cursed body, or the fallen flesh. It is most often used in a negative sense. Jesus is identifying with us in two ways. He is identifying with us in the state we were in before the fall; he is taking on a body with its limitations. But it should also be noted that Jesus is enduring a body that is not merely limited by those things that limited humanity before the fall, but he took on a body that had been scared due to the fall. Jesus is taking on σαρξ which is referring to the fallen body.

Let’s be clear; we are not saying Jesus sinned. Jesus never sinned. But Jesus took on a body that was scarred by the infliction of sin. For example, Jesus aged, he probably fell sick, he grew tired, and he experienced death. All of these are examples of a body that has been scarred by sin.

So if Jesus totally absorbed the flesh of humanity and thereby emptied himself of all his abilities while he totally retained his divinity, how could Jesus live the life he lived? John 5:19 says Jesus gave them this answer: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. At every waking moment Jesus lives in the flesh, he always lives out of the sourcing of the Father. Jesus focus is always on the Father and he allows the Father to live his life. Jesus is totally reliant on the moving of the Father at all times. As we read through the gospel of John we should always see Jesus through this lens; operating through the Father.

This truth gives overwhelming hope in our lives. If Jesus, living totally as we live could live the way he lived, how much so could we live as Jesus lived? Colossians provides insight when Paul exclaims, for in Christ the fullness of the deity lives in bodily form, and you have been given fullness in Christ. The same resource Jesus has been given is available to us in the person of Jesus. We are reproducing the life of Jesus on this earth. Somehow someone bigger than ourselves dwells within us, living a Life beyond what we can live. We begin to feel as we have never felt before. We speak as we never could speak previously. We love as we could not love. As John 1:13 says we are born of God!  We have a new substance. What is in God is now in us. The way Jesus feels, is the way we feel. There is no mistake; we are sourced by Jesus as Jesus is sourced by the Father. Jesus took on flesh so that we will take on Jesus.

The Word Became Flesh

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– by Cory Clark –

The Word became flesh is found in the climax within the prologue of John Chapter one. Most scholars agree that John chose to write a prologue after he wrote the body of the gospel. Perhaps even more intriguing is that although John wrote the prologue after the letter, he still placed the prologue at the beginning of the book. His purpose for this is to provide focus for the letter itself. Scholars agree that John is writing his theology which provides a lens for when we read the dialogues throughout the gospel. If a person were to skip over the prologue there is danger of missing the purpose, and focus, of the book itself. [Read more…] about The Word Became Flesh

The Word Became Flesh

by

by Cory Clark

The Word became flesh is found in the climax within the prologue of John Chapter one. Most scholars agree that John chose to write a prologue after he wrote the body of the gospel. Perhaps even more intriguing is that although John wrote the prologue after the letter, he still placed the prologue at the beginning of the book. His purpose for this is to provide focus for the letter itself. Scholars agree that John is writing his theology which provides a lens for when we read the dialogues throughout the gospel. If a person were to skip over the prologue there is danger of missing the purpose, and focus, of the book itself.

John begins by writing about the relationship between the Word and the Trinity in the first couple of verses and then moves on to describe the Word’s relationship with creation. In verses 6-9 John the Baptist is the example of a man created through Jesus, and verses 10-13 show how we are created through Jesus when we receive Him. Verse 14 is the climax of the prologue. It is also a powerful statement referring to the plan of God, which is implemented through the Word to bring people into a new birth in God (verse 13).

The Word became flesh. One might not take much notice of the word γινομαι (became) in the sentence, except for the realization that John has already used this word seven times prior to the usage here. It is also interesting that the word John uses is γινομαι since there is a more common word John would typically use to refer to becoming, or came. Instead of using the common word, John uses γινομαι and has used this word carefully throughout the prologue. It denotes change from what something once was not to something totally new. In other words, a subject becomessomething that it never was before. The force behind this word can be best explained from John 1:3, describing creation. Creation had no substance but it became a substance. It refers to a total shift into a substance that it previously never had. John 1:14 exclaims that the Word became flesh.Jesus came into the substance of humanity, when he previously did not have the substance of humanity.

What is most striking is the choice that John uses to describe the substance that Jesus takes. He does not use the more accepted Greek word to describe the essence Jesus becomes; instead he uses the Greek word σαρξ. This word is typically used to talk about the sinful body, the cursed body, or the fallen flesh. It is most often used in a negative sense. Jesus is identifying with us in two ways. He is identifying with us in the state we were in before the fall; he is taking on a body with its limitations. But it should also be noted that Jesus is enduring a body that is not merely limited by those things that limited humanity before the fall, but he took on a body that had been scared due to the fall. Jesus is taking on σαρξ which is referring to the fallen body.

Let’s be clear; we are not saying Jesus sinned. Jesus never sinned. But Jesus took on a body that was scarred by the infliction of sin. For example, Jesus aged, he probably fell sick, he grew tired, and he experienced death. All of these are examples of a body that has been scarred by sin.

So if Jesus totally absorbed the flesh of humanity and thereby emptied himself of all his abilities while he totally retained his divinity, how could Jesus live the life he lived? John 5:19 says Jesus gave them this answer: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. At every waking moment Jesus lives in the flesh, he always lives out of the sourcing of the Father. Jesus focus is always on the Father and he allows the Father to live his life. Jesus is totally reliant on the moving of the Father at all times. As we read through the gospel of John we should always see Jesus through this lens; operating through the Father.

This truth gives overwhelming hope in our lives. If Jesus, living totally as we live could live the way he lived, how much so could we live as Jesus lived? Colossians provides insight when Paul exclaims, for in Christ the fullness of the deity lives in bodily form, and you have been given fullness in Christ. The same resource Jesus has been given is available to us in the person of Jesus. We are reproducing the life of Jesus on this earth. Somehow someone bigger than ourselves dwells within us, living a Life beyond what we can live. We begin to feel as we have never felt before. We speak as we never could speak previously. We love as we could not love. As John 1:13 says we are born of God!  We have a new substance. What is in God is now in us. The way Jesus feels, is the way we feel. There is no mistake; we are sourced by Jesus as Jesus is sourced by the Father. Jesus took on flesh so that we will take on Jesus.

Jesus is the Head of the Church :: Colossians 1:18

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by Cory Clark

Twenty one years of waiting and finally the time is arriving. In less than two months I will be marrying the most beautiful girl in the world. Two feelings are coming to the surface. The first is the feeling of excitement, and the second is a sense of responsibility. There is something within me that desires to protect her, guard her, and be good to her. I feel as though I ought to lead her and support her. But with this new sense of responsibility, and these new feelings, what am I to do with them? It seems as if God brings us through some studies for a reason.

Colossians 1:18 says, He is the head of the body the Church. This is the role of Jesus among Christians and the Christians response with Jesus. It is not optional, but absolutely necessary for Jesus to be the head of us, as a group of believers. What does it mean for Jesus to be the head of a group of believers? In American society we would probably assume that Jesus would be “greater than” us. The picture given to us is not ranking in terms of, best, greater, or more impressive. Instead the picture is that of a position Jesus assumes first as the example for a group.

To describe this, let’s look at the flip side of Jesus being the head; it is our role when Jesus is the head of a group of believers. Colossians 2:19 says, He has lost connection with the Head, from whom the whole body, supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to grow. As Jesus has assumed the headship position, we grow into and become the person who is the head. We do not have a Jesus who barks out orders as we are then expected to follow them. Instead, Jesus’ nature is so good and holy that as we gaze upon His person, not merely His work, we cannot help but internally desire to grow into Him. As we look to Him, and respect Him, we are propelled to become like the head. It is like gravity, we are pulled into who Jesus is. Why? We see His person; we see who we were always meant to be.

What is the nature of the person who is the head? Whatever the nature of Jesus is, that is what our nature was created to be. In Colossians 1:20 Jesus reconciles to himself all things, whether things in earth or thing in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. His nature is to reconcile, to die, and to give up his life. In the headship position, He is the first to give up his rights, He is the first die, and He is the first to lose everything for the sake of others. And now friends, are you and I going to be who God has created us to become? We have been meant to die, we have been meant to give up our lives, we have been meant to give up everything for the sake of others. Jesus has lead the way as the first to be who we have been created to become. Will we follow? He does not ask us to follow His orders, He asks us to follow in what He has set the example in, and He has set the example in the example of the cross.

Now, I am a soon to be husband. What is my calling? I am called to be the head of my wife. Ephesians 5:23 says, “For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior.” In the same way that Jesus gave up his life for the disciples, I am to give mine up for my wife. Now what is my calling? Shall I have the right answers, and should I make the decisions? Am I called to tell her things she ought to do, and then expect her to do what I say? Or am I called to give my life up for her? Am I called to die for her? Am I called to give everything that matters to me, and seek out what matters to her? I am called to carry a cross for her.

A pastor once told me, “Marriage is 50/50, otherwise it doesn’t work.” So then, is Christianity 50/50? What would have happened if Jesus only gave 50% of himself? Instead, Jesus was the first to give up everything for us. Regardless of our response, He gave it all. My calling for my future wife is to give everything, even if I receive nothing.

Now women, you have an equally important calling. Men are to be the head, which means they are the first to give up their rights to be right. They are the first to die to themselves; they are the first to not eat when there is no food in the home. But women, your call is equally important. As you fill the position of being subject to your husband, which is another way of saying, give up your life for the man, you propel the man into giving his life up for you. The calling of the man and the calling of the woman are the same; the way in which we are created to express that calling is different. Will we live in our marriages for ourselves? Or will we live our marriage for our spouse regardless of their response?

I have come to the conclusion that if Jess went to hell, I would be willing to go to the pit of hell in order to find her and pull her out. And I would take her place. After all, what did Jesus do for us? Every problem in marriage stems from living for self. We will either live for self, or will live in a desire for, and a delight in the well being of our spouse leading to active and self-sacrificing efforts on their behalf. Either self-style or cross style.

Image of the Invisible God

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by Cory Clark

Colossians 1:15—He is the Image of the invisible God.

Everyone has an image. A teen wanting to seem cool will often build an image for everyone to see. He will wear his pants down to his ankles and learn the latest jargon to seem cool. That way, when people see him they think, “wow, that boy is cool.” A woman will spend time on her hair and makeup in order to look pretty, so that she can have the image of a pretty girl. A man walking into a gym will often puff out his chest and walk with a swagger in order to give an image of a strong body.  What people think about when they look at you is your image. Having an image is not wrong, everyone has an image. It is not wrong to be pretty, cool, or strong. It is simply what people think about when they see you.

Even Jesus had an image. Colossians 1:15 says, He is the image of the invisible God. Typically when we talk about an image, we think of a copy. For instance, if you had a picture of Bill and Bill stood next to that picture you would not look at the picture and say that picture is Bill. You might say it is an image of Bill. But that image is less than Bill. It is simply a feeble copy of Bill.

We come to our passage and find that Jesus is the image of God. Following this logic we would say, Jesus is a copy of God, or less than God. However, when you look at the Greek word forimage you will find it is the Greek word eikon. This word for eikon is literally translated: the manifestation, representation, revelation, or the illumination of someone or something. Jesus is not a feeble copy of God. Jesus is not less than God. Jesus is the manifestation of God to us. If we want to know who God is, God revealed himself to us in the person of Jesus! Jesus is the image of God to us. This is certainly an overwhelming truth.

If you continued to study eikon you would find that it was used throughout scripture. The first place you would find it would be way back in Genesis 1:26, Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness. The word image is the Hebrew equivalent to the Greek wordeikon. We were created as the manifestation, representation, revelation, and illumination of God in our world. God opened up His chest to us and revealed Himself through us. Then you might say, “Well we sinned, and messed up the whole thing.” And you would be right.

If you read 2 Corinthians 3:7-18 you will find this issue raised to us. Paul is talking about the old and the new covenant. He will go on to explain that the old covenant was glorious. He will give us the example from Exodus 33 and show us exactly how glorious the new covenant is. Exodus 33 is the passage where Moses goes up onto the mountain and while on the mountain receives the 10 commandments. While Moses is on the mountain, God tells Moses that He will grant him one request. Moses then asks, now show me your glory. However God responds, you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live. And He continues, there is a place near me where you may stand on a rock. When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by.Then I will remove my hand and you will see my back; but my face must not be seen. The Hebrew language is extremely specific to the point you will hardly believe it. God tells Moses that Moses cannot see His face, but grants that Moses may see His Back. The literal translation for back is specific, it means backside. Under the old covenant, Moses was granted to see God’s backside, and that was as much glory as Moses could see. And what follows is unbelievable. We see in Exodus, and retold in 2 Corinthians is that Moses comes down from the mountain seeing the glory of the least glorious part of God and Moses face literally glows. In fact Moses’ face glows so bright that they put a veil over his face because the Israelites could not gaze upon such brilliance.

2 Corinthians 3:7-18 will then go on to say that Moses was a part of the old covenant and that the old covenant was glorious. The presence of God was brilliant, but that presence faded. Now we live under the new covenant, and that covenant is much more glorious. This covenant does not fade. We have the image of God walking in our streets. Jesus is not the backside of God; Jesus is the very face of God in our world. We have the manifestation of God, and He identified with us and became one of us!

But wait, keep reading in 2 Corinthians 3:18, And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lords glory, are being transformed into his image with ever increasing glory. You and I, under the new covenant, are being transformed as the manifestation, representation, illumination, and revelation of Jesus in our world. We do not walk around with a fading presence of God on our faces. We have the living face of God being revealed through us and our faces glow with a brilliance that surpasses the old covenant. Jesus was the first to be the Image of Godbecause in Colossians 1:19 God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in Him. Then we find in Colossians 2: 9 all the fullness of the deity dwelt in bodily form, and we have been given fullness in Christ! Jesus was the first to be the image of God, now we are the image of Jesus! As Jesus revealed God to a world, we reveal Jesus to a world. As Jesus was the face of God in His world, we are the face of God in our world. Not because we are Jesus, but because Jesus lives through us. As God dwelt and lived through Jesus, Jesus dwells and lives through us!

The question is not, have you pulled off Jesus in your life? Have you grit your teeth and been a good person? Have you figured out how to act like him? The question is, have you surrendered yourself to the flow of the Spirit in your life? Have you invited Jesus into every aspect of your life? Is He flowing through every moment of your life and is He glowing right through you? Are you pushing Jesus onto your family, or are you more concerned about how good you look? Are you lifting up your image, or is His image what people think about when they see you?

He is the Image of the Invisible God :: Colossians 1.15

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by Cory Clark

If we are to study this passage, it is crucial we study this passage within its context. If we were to take this passage and separate it from its immediate context, and its context in light of all scripture, we might find ourselves using this verse as a theological statement and nothing more. As I read most commentaries, I find that the extent of their conclusions bring them to say this statement is combating an Arius philosophy; which states that Jesus is less than God. While I do not disagree, I think this is not the drive or purpose of this verse.

The two previous verses give a stage for us so that we can then move into verse 15. Colossians 1:13-14 says,For he rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us into the kingdom of the son he loves, in whom we have redemption; the forgiveness of sins.

The thrust of these verses as well as the driving force of the entire book is communicated here. Paul almost treats the Colossians as if they are limited in their understanding and he pushes one concept into them through this letter again and again. Paul preaches the concept of the kingdom. He talks about the “kingdom of the son he loves,” which is relational language. Throughout the book Paul describes Christianity in terms of a kingdom, and this kingdom has a king; whose king is Jesus.

There is one truth about the kingdom that is not optional. It is not for us to question whether we could have it, or whether it is in the realm of possibility, because this truth is absolutely necessary. Paul spends three verses in chapter one to build this concept until he reaches the climatic truth being communicated. This truth is found in chapter 1 verse 27. Paul says the mystery of the gospel is, “Christ in you, the hope of glory!” We no longer have an outside God that we come to and ask for him to give us things. We do not need to ask for strength, joy, and love. We have the overwhelming resource of strength, joy and love living within us! As we see in Colossians 1:13, we do not need to ask for redemption, because within us redemption is taking place when we are living in Jesus, and He in us!

With verses 13-14 communicating that we live in the kingdom, whose king is Jesus, and that in that kingdom Jesus produces within us we simply cannot produce; and with the climatic truth in the book of Colossians, “Christ in you,” we have set the stage to understanding verse 15.

He is the image of the invisible God. –Colossians 1:15

It is important to understand this word “image” when we open up this verse and tear into its fibers. When we talk about image we often talk about it as if it were a copy of something. For instance, when we talk about an artist we might say he painted a beautiful portrait of his wife. We would say that portrait was created to be in his wife’s image. No matter how detailed that painting might be, it is still a feeble copy of the original. The image created is a copy and by virtue of being a copy, it is less than the original. This is not what we mean when we talk about this word for “image.”

This word for “image” is the Greek word Eikon. This word is not used to describe a feeble copy of the original. It describes a manifestation, representation, or illumination of the original. It is the communication of the original. God has opened up His chest to us and revealed His insides. God has revealed His insides through the person of Jesus! Jesus is the expression of God, the face of God, the image of God.

Obviously when we talk about Jesus being the visible image of the invisible God, we are not saying that God wants to communicate what He would look like as a physical being for the end purpose that we can understand God with a physical face. Jesus, as the image, describes the nature of God shown to us through a physical person. The kingdom of God is shown to us through the relationship of Jesus with the Father.

I would also point out that this word for image is prototype language by nature. In order to have something that is an image, you must have an original. Jesus was the first one to live in the image of God, by being the manifestation, representation, and exact inward expression.

When we understand Jesus we should not and cannot understand Him as someone who has more resource than a man in and of Himself. We also cannot look at Jesus as if He was less than God, because He is God. We must understand that Jesus is the second Adam. Jesus was born as Adam was born. Jesus was born into a physical body that was sin scared. Jesus was not born with sin, nor has he ever sinned. Jesus was, however, born into a sin scared body. For instance, Jesus aged. Jesus had every limitation that we as humanity have. Jesus had to learn, He probably got sick, He probably tripped.

We believe that Jesus laid down everything He could do as God, so as to live only able to do what mankind could do. Jesus had to foot it to the places He went. Jesus was not omnipresent, omniscient, nor omnipotent. Jesus laid down those things and lived with a human brain and physical strength and human limitations. To say otherwise is to see Jesus as less than Man. Now we understand that the nature of God is invisible, so this does not change the fact that Jesus is still God. Jesus is 100% God. Because the nature of God is not physical, Jesus can be physically imperfect and still be perfect in image. We also believe Jesus lived 100% as a man, with all of mans physical limitations. Jesus had no edge or special power or ability over us. He lived like us in every way.

Above we talked about prototype language. Prototype means that there was an original. Then typically if the first prototype worked, there would be more. I would propose to you that Jesus was the prototype. Jesus was the first to live within the kingdom as a man. Jesus was the image of the invisible God. Now, we can be the image of Jesus! We can be the manifestation of Jesus to our world, not a feeble copy, but the illumination of Jesus.

Remember as stated above, the relationship of the kingdom, and the climatic truth. Jesus lives within and produces within us what we cannot produce. Jesus produces within us the image that we cannot produce. We are being made into His image.

Genesis says that we were “made in the image of God.” This is the exact word used in Colossians 1:15. We broke from that image and turned inward. Now, through the person of Jesus living within us, we can again be the image of Jesus. 2 Corinthians 3:18 says, “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.”

Colossians 3:10 also says,
“And have put on the new self, which is being renewed to a true knowledge, according to the image of the one who created him.”

We are in the being transformed day by day, into the manifestation, and representation of Jesus. We are literally the revelation of Jesus to our world. Not as week feeble copies of Jesus. Not people who work to achieve,, through our own efforts, the perfection of Christ. Instead, the perfection of Jesus is being displayed through us, by the Spirit. We were made in the image of God, and through the relationship of the kingdom and the climatic truth, we reflect Jesus in our world.

Could you imagine God taking a 20 year old student from Indiana Wesleyan and indwelling that boy with Jesus. That boy could walk to his class with the glory of Jesus on his face. The glory Abraham had, that boy could walk with and it would not fade! And could you imagine how much more glorious the new covenant is for the believer? I can walk into my dorm and live like I cannot live, love like I cannot love, and produce what I cannot produce. Jesus living in me and through me! I will walk as Jesus walked. Live like He lived, love like he loved, and through Him, be the image of Jesus at Indiana Wesleyan University and the places in which I speak! Wow, what a blessing! I can be the image of the invisible God!