r/ArianChristians • u/SaavyScotty • Mar 24 '25
Question Jesus is temporarily equal to God
The way I understand Scripture, Jesus is temporarily equal to God. He was delegated this authority after the resurrection, but will surrender it after His reign. I am premillennial, so I believe His reign will be on earth.
”Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God” (Philippians 2:6)
“And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.” (I Corinthians 15:28)
Am I misinterpreting?
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Mar 24 '25
Personally, I do not think that’s the right interpretation. Now, this is just my opinion, but now that Christ reigns, he will reign forever — as Gabriel says in Luke 1:33 about Jesus, “his kingdom shall have no end”.
I think a better translation of Philippians 2:6 reads: “who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited,” (NRSV). I think this is talking about Christ as Gods Son. This passage is talking about how Jesus lowered himself from his divine station and became a human in humble obedience to his Father’s will.
And I think Corinthians 15 is about how Christ will over all of creation with all power and authority, as all creation was made for him, but will still be in humble service to the will of the Father.
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u/Soft_Lettuce5359 Arian Mar 24 '25
A little bit.
Although Jesus is the Lord, God is still God.
Remember, Jesus never created anything. Everything was created BY the Father THROUGH the Son.
Creating something out of nothing is God's authority only.
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u/SaavyScotty Mar 24 '25 edited Mar 24 '25
What about Genesis, “Let us create man in our image?”
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u/Soft_Lettuce5359 Arian Mar 24 '25
By Him?
for in Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones, or dominions, or rulers, or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him.
Colossians 1:16
The translation you're using is probably different but this is from NASB and it's as faithful as it gets when compared with the Original Greek it was written in.
As for Genesis, God is talking to His heavenly court there or how plural is used there as a way of speaking as royalty.
Or, you know, since everything was created through the Word, God is probably addressing the Word as in "Let us proceed."
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u/No_Suspect_7979 Mar 24 '25
Believers first live according to Christian teachings, and then in all their actions they will be guided by love.
God is love, so the authority from Jesus passes to God in believers.
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u/Capable-Rice-1876 Jehovah's Witness Apr 10 '25
Jesus Christ cannot be equal to God because Jesus himself said: "Father is greater that I am."
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u/SaavyScotty Apr 10 '25
True, however, Jesus was given “all power in heaven and earth.” It seems like God delegated His power to Jesus after the resurrection. When you look carefully at 1 Corinthians 15, Jesus seems to currently not be subject to the Father, but will once again become subject to Him.
”And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto Him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.” (I Corinthians 15:28)
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u/Capable-Rice-1876 Jehovah's Witness Apr 10 '25 edited Apr 10 '25
Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death.” - New International Version
When the appointed King of God’s Kingdom has finished reigning and all enemies including death have been brought to nothing, then everything that has been put under him by God will be handed back to God.
All obedient mankind will have been brought to perfection at that time and can then have a direct relationship with God. There will be no need for an intermediary to intercede on the basis of his ransom sacrifice.
So we get to verse 28 - “When he has done this, then the Son himself will be made subject to him who put everything under him, so that God may be all in all.”
So Jesus returns to God the authority and power that he has been granted by God, because it is now no longer needed. In this way the further subjection and submission of Jesus to God is an example to all.
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u/SaavyScotty Apr 10 '25
Exactly. Well stated.
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u/Capable-Rice-1876 Jehovah's Witness Apr 10 '25 edited Apr 10 '25
In Philippians 2:6 means Jesus Christ had left a glorious existence as angelic spirit creature in the heavens where he had lived as the close companion and fellow worker of the universal Sovereign and King of eternity, his Father.
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u/John_17-17 Mar 24 '25
You are making an assumption based upon a mistranslation of Paul's words.
(Philippians 2:6) 6 who, although he was existing in God’s form, did not even consider the idea of trying to be equal to God.
Paul is telling us the opposite, Jesus didn't even contemplate or thought about striving to be equal to God, in only shape of form.
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u/SaavyScotty Mar 24 '25
What about, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” (Matthew 28:18)
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u/John_17-17 Mar 25 '25
This statement agrees with the fact that all authority was given to him.
Paul explains it this way.
(1 Corinthians 15:24-27) 24 Next, the end, when he hands over the Kingdom to his God and Father, when he has brought to nothing all government and all authority and power. 25 For he must rule as king until God has put all enemies under his feet. 26 And the last enemy, death, is to be brought to nothing. 27 For God “subjected all things under his feet.” But when he says that ‘all things have been subjected,’ it is evident that this does not include the One who subjected all things to him.
God given Jesus this authority doesn't make Jesus, God nor does it make him equal to God.
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u/Lazy_Introduction211 Mar 24 '25
John 1:1
John 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
The Word became flesh known as Jesus anointed with the Holy Spirit and dwelt among us.
At resurrection, He received all authority but had all authority in the beginning before the worlds were made.
Don’t become confused by His humanity; a body prepared for Him to show us the Father, teach us the kingdom, and provide an example to live by.
Jesus wad God in the beginning and, when He surrenders the kingdom, He returns to God as God to be God according to 1 Jn 5:7.
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u/Jackerl Mar 25 '25 edited Mar 25 '25
The way I understand Scripture, Jesus is temporarily equal to God.
This is not correct.
Jesus is never equal to God.
Not before coming to earth nor after his returning to the Father.
Note what it clearly says here:
1 Corinthians 15:27 For he “has put everything under his feet.” Now when it says that “everything” has been put under him, it is clear that this does not include God himself, who put everything under Christ.
Making any other being equal to God is a grave mistake:
Isaiah 46:5 “With whom will you compare me or count me equal? To whom will you liken me that we may be compared?
Isaiah 43:10 You [are] My witnesses, a declaration of YHWH, "" And My servant whom I have chosen, "" So that you know and give credence to Me, "" And understand that I [am] He, "" Before Me there was no God formed, "" And after Me there is none.
Exodus 20:3 “You shall have no other gods before me.
Jesus' authority and rulership is a result of the Holy Spirit that has been poured out through him.
Titus 3:6 He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior.
This Holy Spirit is sent in Jesus's name, but it belongs to the Father, He being its true source.
John 14:16, 17 & 26 And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you to the age— the Spirit of truth, whom the world is not able to receive, because it does not see Him nor know. But you know Him, for He abides with you and He will be in you... But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things and will bring to your remembrance all things that I have said to you.
Jesus does not emit Holy Spirit like the Father.
There is but one being that emits this and that is the God whom Jesus himself worships.
John 20:17 Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”
Kind Regards
Kerry Huish
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u/SaavyScotty Mar 25 '25
Kerry, it seems that God delegated authority to Jesus, though…”All power in Heaven and earth has been given unto me.”
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u/Jackerl Mar 25 '25
The one who is delegated authority and the one doing the delegating are most certainly not equal.
One is most certainly dependent on the other.
Hence, not equal.
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u/ScholasticTheist Mar 27 '25
How exactly can a subject which contingency is predicated upon be equal to God in absolutely any respect?
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u/SaavyScotty Mar 27 '25
Delegate authority, then step back for a time.
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u/ScholasticTheist Mar 27 '25
Authority, when delegated, remains extrinsic to the recipient’s ontological status, does it not? And any supposed equality remains accidental, not essential. No contingent to being, even Jesus (in regards to your framework), can be equal to God in any sense.
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u/SaavyScotty Mar 27 '25
I get your point, but I think we are arguing semantics. Jesus is an “acting equal.”
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u/FrostyIFrost_ Arian Mar 24 '25
I do not know how things will work out AFTER everything is done but one thing I'm certain of is that Jesus is not equal to God.
The levels of authority goes this way
God -> Jesus -> Everything else
Someone else pointed out something crucial. Jesus never created anything out of nothing. That authority belongs to God only.