God bless you in the name of Jesus Christ, with whom we are seated in the heavenlies. (Ephesians 2:6).
One of the problems I initially had with what we have been learning is that Jesus was a man. He did not become God when he ascended into heaven. He will never be God. He is the son of God. However, he has become a new version of man — “Man 2.0” if you please. The great thing is that when he returns, we will be changed to be like him. We shall be like him for we shall see him as he is.
I John 3:2:
Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
He has also shown us the unlimited possibilities of mankind. He is the second Adam, and just as we have borne the image of the first Adam, we shall also bear the image of the second who shall change our vile bodies to be like his (I Corinthians 15:49; Philippians 3:21). So, however he is now, we will be like him. We, too, will receive the same kind of body and exist in the same dimension of eternity as Jesus does now (II Corinthians 5:1-2). Jesus is seated at the right hand of God and so are we in God’s foreknowledge (Ephesians 1:20; 2:6).
I John 3:2 says we shall be like him, but it does not say we will be identical. Although we are God’s children, we are not monogenes, only begotten. Christ is the firstfruits, we will get our full measure later. I John 4:17 also says, as he is so are we in this world. This is in many respects but not every respect. We are complete, but not completed (Colossians 2:10; Philippians 1:6). Our likeness or resemblance will not be complete until Christ returns for us. That’s part of our hope.
I Corinthians 15:20-23:
But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. 21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. 23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.
As a man, I surmised that he could only be at one place at one time. After all only God is omnipresent. Yes, Jesus is still a man, but not a man like us. He has ascended through the heavens into the realm of eternity where God dwells. Ephesians 4:10 says, “he ascended up far above all heavens.” Being now with God and existing outside of the dimension of time, he can interact with mankind at any point in time and return there as many times as he likes. He’s a man, but he’s not like me anymore. God has changed him, and has promised to do the same for us.
Jesus passed through the heavens, he is at the right hand of God, which is not a place. It’s not a location. It’s a domain of authority from which he rules the world now that God has put it under his feet. He has “passed through the heavens” (Hebrews 4:14) he has become “higher than the heavens” (Hebrew 7:26) he “is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty” (Hebrews 8:1), and Hebrews 9:24 declares, “Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven [God’s domain] itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us. He is in the realm of eternity with God.
Please don’t quote me on this, but I don’t think God ever wanted to be Lord. In Genesis 1 He made Adam Lord, and now Jesus is the Lord. God had to step in between the two to provide that function after the first Adam committed high treason, but lordship was intended to be in the hands of a man.
God wanted Adam to do it but he blew it. Now, He has put it in Jesus’ hands and praise God Jesus has not blown it. He is handling God’s affairs like God wants them handled. All dominion and all power are under Jesus’ feet, and he’s ruling well.
I don’t claim to know it all. Just the opposite! The more I learn, the more convinced I am of how little I do know. I’m sure thankful for it however. We’ll never know it all. God doesn’t expect us to. What He’s revealed is enough to keep us going for our lifetimes. There is coming a time when we will know even as we are known (I Corinthians 13:12). Wont that be a great day!