I write with regard to magazine No 188. The Editorial states:
. . He who was on equality with God, co-equal, co-eternal, “emptied himself” of his glory (Phil. 2:5-7). . .
The above statement seems to present a contradiction with the Scriptures.
How can someone who had equality with God, “empty” Himself of His glory and yet have it recorded by the disciple who was known for being the most physically close to the Lord Jesus: “and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father..” (Jn 1:14)?
Not only does the quoted verse 14 of John 1 speak of the glory of the man, Christ Jesus, but it states the glory as of the only begotten of the Father which in itself clearly identifies the qualities of that glory.
In reading the very next chapter of John’s gospel account we get another mention of His glory, observed by men: This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; (Jn 2:11) One would have to ask, “How was He able to manifest glory? Where did He get this glory from?” And especially so, if He had supposedly “emptied” Himself of it.
Why does Luke 9:32 state: But Peter and they that were with him were heavy with sleep: and when they were awake, they saw his glory, and the two men that stood with him.
This was, once again, glory manifested by the Son of God, in human form.
The editor would have us believe that the Son of God, in human form didn’t have any glory because He had emptied Himself of it. I cannot accept that premise on the basis of what I quoted above. But there is a reason why people accept this insidious heresy which in my mind is tantamount to blasphemy.
It is very noticeable to those of us whom God has graciously opened the eyes of, that many bible versions based on the Revised Texts of Messrs Westcott and Hort have adopted the words “emptied himself”. The King James Bible translators have kept truth in tact by printing “made himself of no reputation”, which is in complete harmony with sound doctrine that “God was manifest in the flesh” (1 Tim 3:16). But why are we surprised; when we consider the associations of these two men and their apparent hatred of sound doctrine? Why would anyone trust their manipulation of the Greek texts when their names can be found listed in the Encyclopedia of the Paranormal, as I found myself directed to in a public library when researching the men in question?
The harmony of the Scriptures, in comparing Scripture with Scripture, demands that in the course of “being made in the likeness of men” the Son of God veiled His glory. He never ceased being what He eternally had been; neither could He. I reject, totally and utterly, any thought that the Son of God ever changed from being anything but God...manifest in the flesh.