Dake Bible Discussion Board ⇒ divine

[Spiritblade Disciple]

If God is a man, then He is not a Spirit.
Jesus used the John 8 scripture concerning two men in order to show that dual testimony was necessary.
Not that God was a man.
God's and Jesus' witness is surely better than two men's.

Jesus interpreted that scripture to require the testimony of two men. If you'd like to disagree with Him, I doubt I can stop you.

The Lord is a man according to Exodus 15:3.

[Spiritblade Disciple]

But the Holy Spirit descended in the likeness of a dove !
Not man shaped.

Luke 3:22 New King James Version
And the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form LIKE A DOVE upon Him, and a voice came from heaven which said, “You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased.”

The Holy Spirit descended like a dove, referring to the manner of His descent.
And, He did so in bodily form. No reason to think that His bodily form was shaped like anything other than that which is made in the image and likeness of God... In other words, shaped like a man.

If the Son is a man... And, if the Son testified that His Father was a man... Why should it be any different with the Holy Spirit?

[Spiritblade Disciple]

If God is a man, then He is not a Spirit.

Why would being "a Spirit" rule out being "a man"?

I'd argue that the Bible doesn't rule out a man being a spirit. Consider what Paul says in 1st Corinthians 14. He says that if he prays in an unknown tongue, his spirit prays. In other words the one doing the praying is his spirit... The man praying is a spirit.

I Corinthians 14:14 New King James Version
For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful.

Paul is clear on the matter.

[Hill Top]

If God is a man, then He is not a Spirit.
Jesus used the John 8 scripture concerning two men in order to show that dual testimony was necessary.
Not that God was a man.
God's and Jesus' witness is surely better than two men's.

Jesus interpreted that scripture to require the testimony of two men. If you'd like to disagree with Him, I doubt I can stop you.

The Lord is a man according to Exodus 15:3.

I don't see those scrip' as literally as you.

[Hill Top]

But the Holy Spirit descended in the likeness of a dove !
Not man shaped.

Luke 3:22 New King James Version
And the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form LIKE A DOVE upon Him, and a voice came from heaven which said, “You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased.”

The Holy Spirit descended like a dove, referring to the manner of His descent.

Oh please...really ?
So a man landed on Jesus ?

And, He did so in bodily form. No reason to think that His bodily form was shaped like anything other than that which is made in the image and likeness of God... In other words, shaped like a man.
If the Son is a man... And, if the Son testified that His Father was a man... Why should it be any different with the Holy Spirit?

I cannot agree with your findings.

[Hill Top]

If God is a man, then He is not a Spirit.

Why would being "a Spirit" rule out being "a man"?

Because men are not spirits.

I'd argue that the Bible doesn't rule out a man being a spirit. Consider what Paul says in 1st Corinthians 14. He says that if he prays in an unknown tongue, his spirit prays. In other words the one doing the praying is his spirit... The man praying is a spirit.
I Corinthians 14:14 New King James Version
For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful.
Paul is clear on the matter.

Not clear enough, it seems.
The Spirit of God is in the truly repentant & regenerated.
There is no second man inside them.

[Spiritblade Disciple]

I don't see those scrip' as literally as you.

I think that not seeing the scripture with the same degree of literalness explains a lot of disagreements concerning the meaning of any given portion of scripture. Probably not the only reason for differences in understanding, but a very common reason or contributing factor, at least.

[Spiritblade Disciple]

Oh please...really ?
So a man landed on Jesus ?

If man is made in the image and likeness of God... And Jesus is the express image of God's person... And, the Holy Spirit is God... Then, if the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form, it follows that that bodily form was that of a man.

[Spiritblade Disciple]

"Why would being "a Spirit" rule out being "a man"?"

Because men are not spirits.

"Paul is clear on the matter [that men are spirits]."

Not clear enough, it seems.
The Spirit of God is in the truly repentant & regenerated.
There is no second man inside them.

I am pretty sure that Dake would agree with you that there is no "second man" inside of a man. That's pretty much his reasoning for why the Holy Spirit does not dwell inside of anyone's body.

Regarding whether or not men are spirits...
I Corinthians 14:14 New King James Version
For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful.

If I pray, my (human) spirit prays. Thus, I am an human spirit (who has a soul and lives in a body).

If Paul had said "If I pray... my spirit does NOT pray," then I'd know that I am not an (human) spirit.
Or, if Paul had said, "Even if I do not pray... my spirit prays..." then I'd know that the (spirit doing the praying was different from the person praying.

But, Paul equated the person praying with the spirit praying.

Paul was clear on the matter. Humans are spirits.

[Hill Top]

I don't see those scrip' as literally as you.

I think that not seeing the scripture with the same degree of literalness explains a lot of disagreements concerning the meaning of any given portion of scripture. Probably not the only reason for differences in understanding, but a very common reason or contributing factor, at least.

I see things either as literal or emblematic.
If God were a man, He would need to eat and drink, sleep, get haircuts, trim His nails, crap, etc.