What did John mean, in 1 John 4:2, 3; when he said, “Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God”?

Is John merely affirming Jesus’ incarnation in that Jesus took on a real, physical human flesh—a full and genuine human nature? Or is John speaking of something else that is taking place in the present?

While this passage is generally understood by many to mean that to be of God, one must believe and confess that Jesus, the divine Messiah, truly became human—He took on real flesh, lived among us, and to deny this is to reject the heart of the gospel, and to be under the influence of the antichrist spirit.

But is there more to this passage that we may have overlooked?

The KJV and other translations render the perfect participle as “is come” (rather than “has come”), reflecting not just the past event of the Incarnation, but its present, ongoing significance. The use of the perfect tense here is very significant, as we shall see later.

But first, let us affirm what is generally understood, that Jesus did come in the flesh-a genuine human nature, not unlike you and I.

Apostle John wrote,

“Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.” — 1 John 4:2-3 (KJV)

John continues,

2 John 7 (KJV) “For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.”

In these passages John gives us one of the identifying marks that helps us to distinguish between the spirit of God and the spirit of antichrist. He tells us that the spirit that ‘confesseth that Jesus Christ is come is the flesh is of God’, whereas ‘the spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God’ and is the spirit of antichrist.

To understand what John is saying we need to first understand the nature of Christ when he came to this earth as a Man. Scripture tells us that,

“Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, HE ALSO LIKEWISE TOOK PART OF THE SAME; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of OUR INFIRMITIES; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. For verily he [Christ] took NOT on him THE NATURE OF ANGELS; but he took on him THE SEED OF ABRAHAM. Wherefore in all things it behooved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.” Hebrews 2:14-18

“For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.” — Hebrews 4:15

Heb 10:5 “Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, BUT A BODY HAST THOU PREPARED ME:”

Jesus was born with a “special body”, a body not unlike any other, which God prepared; He was God and yet He was 100% human with flesh and blood.

“Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.” — Isaiah 53:4 KJV

“That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself TOOK OUR INFIRMITIES, and bare our sicknesses.” — Matthew 8:17

Interesting to note here that Matthew 8 uses the expression “infirmities” as it refers to ‘borne our griefs’ in Isaiah 53 and the Inspiration affirms this:

“He was subject to the INFIRMITIES AND WEAKNESSES BY WHICH MAN IS ENCOMPASSED, ‘that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.’ [Mt 8:17] He was touched with the feeling of our infirmities, and was in all points tempted like as we are. And yet He “knew no sin.”{5BC 1131.3}

“For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the LIKENESS OF SINFUL FLESH, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:” — Rom 8:3

“But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, BORN OF A WOMAN, BORN UNDER THE LAW,” — Gal 4:4

“But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the FORM OF A SERVANT, AND WAS MADE IN THE LIKENESS OF MEN:” — Phil 2:7

Note: “born under the law” — Christ voluntarily subjected himself to the same natural laws as well as put Himself under the jurisdiction of the moral law while bearing the fallen/sinful nature, not unlike all other human beings born into the world. He made Himself become liable to be tempted and thereby leaving Himself the possibility to fall.

“It would have been an almost infinite humiliation for the Son of God to take man’s nature, even when Adam stood in his innocence in Eden. But Jesus accepted humanity WHEN THE RACE HAD BEEN WEAKENED BY FOUR THOUSAND YEARS OF SIN. Like every child of Adam He accepted the results of the working of the great law of heredity. What these results were is shown in the history of His earthly ancestors. He came with such a heredity to share our sorrows and temptations, and to give us the example of a sinless life.” (DA 48,49)

 “For four thousand years the race had been decreasing in physical strength, in mental power, and in moral worth; and Christ took upon Him the INFIRMITIES OF DEGENERATE HUMANITY. Only thus could He rescue man from the lowest depths of his degradation.” {DA p. 117}

“JESUS TOOK UPON HIMSELF MAN’S NATURE, THAT HE MIGHT LEAVE A PATTERN FOR HUMANITY, complete, perfect. He proposes to make us like Himself, true in every purpose, feeling, and thought—true in heart, soul, and life. This is Christianity. Our fallen nature must be purified, ennobled, consecrated by obedience to the truth. Christian faith will never harmonize with worldly principles; Christian integrity is opposed to all deception and pretense. The man who cherishes the most of Christ’s love in the soul, who reflects the Saviour’s image most perfectly, is in the sight of God the truest, most noble, most honorable man upon the earth.” {5T 235.3}

“As God He could not be tempted: but as a man He could be tempted, and that strongly, and could yield to the temptations… HIS HUMAN NATURE WAS CREATED; it did not even possess the angelic powers. It was human, IDENTICAL WITH OUR OWN.” {6MR 111.1}

“It was NOT A MAKE BELIEVE HUMANITY that Christ took upon Himself. He took human nature, and lived human nature. Christ’s life represents a perfect manhood just that which you may be. He was in human nature. He took our infirmities. HE WAS NOT ONLY MADE FLESH, BUT HE WAS MADE IN THE LIKENESS OF SINGUL FLESH.” Letter No. 106, 1896.

What love! What amazing condescension! The King of glory proposed to humble Himself to fallen humanity! He would place His feet in Adam’s steps. HE WOULD TAKE MAN’S FALLEN NATURE, and engage to cope with the strong foe who triumphed over Adam. He would overcome Satan, and in thus doing He would open the way for the redemption from the disgrace of Adam’s failure and fall, of all those who would believe on Him. {Con 18.1}

“A HUMAN BODY AND HUMAN MIND WERE HIS. HE WAS BONE OF OUR BONE AND FLESH OF OUR FLESH.” 3SM, 129.

“When Jesus took human nature, and became in fashion as a man, HE POSSESSED ALL THE HUMAN ORGANISM. His necessities were the necessities of a man. He had bodily wants to be supplied, bodily weariness to be relieved. By prayer to the Father He was braced for duty and for trial.” (Letter 32, 1899) (EGW)

“Christ took humanity with all its liabilities. He took the nature of man with the possibility of yielding to temptation, and he relied upon divine power to keep him.” (GCB February 25, 1895, Art. A, par. 6) (EGW)

“Christ’s perfect humanity is the same that we may have through connection with Christ. As God, Christ could not be tempted any more than He was not tempted from His allegiance in heaven. But as Christ humbled Himself to the nature of man, He could be tempted. He had not taken on Him even the nature of the angels, but HUMANITY, PERFECTLY IDENTICAL WITH OUR OWN NATURE, EXCEPT WITHOUT THE TAINT OF SIN. A HUMAN BODY, A HUMAN MIND, WITH ALL THE PECULIAR PROPERTIES, HE WAS BONE, BRAIN, AND MUSCLE. A man of our flesh, He was compassed with the weakness of humanity. The circumstances of His life were of that character that He was exposed to all the inconveniences that belong to men, not in wealth, not in ease, but in poverty and want and humiliation. He breathed the very air man must breathe. He trod our earth as man. He had reason, conscience, memory, will, and affections of the human soul which was united with His divine nature.”—Manuscript Releases 16:181, 182. {TA 157.1}

“Was the human nature of the Son of Mary changed into the divine nature of the Son of God? No; THE TWO NATURES WERE MYSTERIOUSLY BLENDED IN ONE PERSON-the man Christ Jesus.” —Letter 280, 1904 in Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 5, p. 1113.2

“Looking upon Him in His humiliation, as He walked a man among men, they had not understood the mystery of His incarnation, the DUAL CHARACTER OF HIS NATURE.” {DA 507.1}

“…The two expressions human and divine were, in Christ, closely and inseparably one, AND YET THEY HAD A DISTINCT INDIVIDUALITY…  {ST May 10, 1899, par. 11}

“His finite nature was pure and spotless, divine nature that led Him to say to Philip, ‘He that hath seen Me hath seen the Father’ also, was not humanized; neither was humanity deified by the blending or union of the two natures; EACH RETAINED ITS ESSENTIAL CHARACTER AND PROPERTIES.” {Manuscript Releases, vol. 16, p. 182 par.1}

“Christ could not have come to this earth with the glory that He had in the heavenly courts. Sinful human beings could not have borne the sight. He veiled His divinity with the garb of humanity, but HE DID NOT PART WITH HIS DIVINITY.” {Review and Herald, June 15, 1905}

“WE NEED NOT PLACE THE OBEDIENCE OF CHRIST BY ITSELF AS SOMETHING FOR WHICH HE WAS PARTICULARLY ADAPTED, BECAUSE OF HIS DIVINE NATURE; for he stood before God as man’s representative, and was tempted as man’s substitute and surety.” – ST April 10, 1893, par. 3

“In our conclusions, we make many mistakes because of our erroneous views of the human nature of our Lord. When we give to His human nature A POWER THAT IS NOT POSSIBLE FOR MAN TO HAVE in his conflicts with Satan, we destroy the completeness of His humanity.” – 7BC 929.5

“WITH CHRIST’S WORD ABIDING IN US, we shall give evidence THAT WE HAVE WHOLLY RECEIVED HIM who IN HIS HUMANITY LIVED A SINLESS LIFE. IN THE STRENGTH OF DIVINITY WE SHALL OVERCOME EVERY TENDENCY TO EVIL. . . .” – {The Upward Look, p. 289}

Having look at these inspired testimonies thus far, we can conclude that Christ came to this earth, with the same flesh as us humans and that He took upon Himself the infirmities of a degenerate humanity which had been weakened by four thousand years of sin. Yet He lived a victorious life free from sin in his humanity. Christ did this to demonstrate that we (having the same nature) can indeed overcome in our sinful/fallen flesh as He overcame; He did not accomplish this by having some super human nature. Recognition of these evidence should lead us to confess that Jesus Christ did indeed come in the flesh.

Jesus IS Come in Our Flesh

The Greek phrase translated “is come in the flesh” twice in 1 John 4:2-3 is: Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν ἐν σαρκὶ ἐληλυθότα

• ἐληλυθότα is a perfect active participle of the verb ἔρχομαι (“to come”).
• The perfect tense in Greek denotes an action completed in the past but is ongoing effects or consequences in the present.

The KJV and other translations render the perfect participle as “is come” (rather than “has come”), reflecting not just the past event of the Incarnation, but its present, ongoing significance.

Again, the use of the perfect tense here is very significant, especially in the context of ongoing significance and moreover how it may help us to see the workings of Christ in our lives in the present.

Let’s take a closer look at the aforementioned verses:

“Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ IS come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ IS come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.” — 1 John 4:2-3 (KJV)

Upon closer examination, the passage in question is not merely referring to Christ’s incarnation but it has something to do with Christ being in the flesh in the present tense. In other words, in addition to recognizing Jesus having lived on earth in our human flesh, two thousand years ago, John is also alluding to the reality as to how Christ is to manifest Himself in our flesh in the present moment.

The very passage immediately following the aforementioned verses (1 John 4:2-3) reads,

“Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is HE [Christ] THAT IS IN YOU, than he [Satan] that is in the world.” – 1 John 4:4

Also, we read,

“To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is CHRIST IN YOU, the hope of glory:” — Colossians 1:27

“I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, BUT CHRIST LIVETH IN ME: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” — Galatians 2:20

Jesus HImself has said,

“Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him; but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and SHALL BE IN YOU. I WILL NOT LEAVE YOU COMFORTLESS; I WILL COME TO YOU.” John 14:17, 18

Jesus continued in the next chapter,

“I am the vine, ye are the branches; he that abideth in me, and I IN HIM , the same bringeth forth much fruit; for without me ye can do nothing.” — John 15:5

You see, it is Christ in us that will produce the fruit of righteousness – ‘Christ in you the hope of glory.’ Moreover, it is the indwelling of Christ by His Spirit that will ultimately distinguish those who will confess whether or not Christ is come in the flesh is of God.

The spirit of a person is manifested by the words spoken by the person:

“To whom hast thou uttered words? and whose spirit came from thee?” — Job 26:4

“For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him.” — John 3:34

“It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: THE WORDS THAT I SPEAK UNTO YOU, THEY ARE SPIRIT, AND THEY ARE LIFE.” — John 6:63

Thus, when we utter the confession “Jesus Christ IS come in the flesh“, not only our we acknowledging how Jesus came in the flesh but also acknowledging how Jesus IS come (manifesting through His Spirit) in OUR flesh, dwelling in us in the present moment. We either have the spirit of God (presence of Christ-Holy Spirit) that confesseth that Jesus Christ IS come in the flesh is of God) or we have the spirit of antichrist that deny that Jesus Christ IS come in the flesh.

Difference between before and after Christ’s ascension:

“During the patriarchal age the influence of the Holy Spirit had often been revealed in a marked manner, BUT NEVER IN ITS FULLNESS. Now, in obedience to the word of the Saviour, the disciples offered their supplications for this gift, and in heaven Christ added His intercession. HE CLAIMED THE GIFT OF THE SPIRIT, that He might POUR IT upon His people.” — (E.G. White, AA, p.37)

“In times past holy men of old spake as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. In ancient times the prophets searched what the Spirit of God which was in them signified. THE SPIRIT WAS NOT THEN GIVEN IN POWER BECAUSE JESUS WAS NOT YET GLORIFIED. Dating from the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit was to be poured forth on sons and daughters, on servants and handmaidens. In every hill country, every lowland, every valley, humble workmen for the Lord are to be raised up. The divine, sacred influence of the Holy Spirit working in our world is to be as signs and wonders, because God’s people are a peculiar people, an holy nation, shining amid moral darkness as living stones in the Lord’s building. The weakest and feeblest, if they exercise faith in God, and improve their entrusted powers, will be elevated, refined and perfected in character under the Holy Spirit’s working. Humble and contrite, they submit to the moulding and fashioning of the Spirit, and they will know what His eternal fulness means.” {RH February 7, 1957, par. 2}

“During His humiliation upon this earth, the SPIRIT HAD NOT DESCENDED WITH ALL ITS EFFICACY; and Christ declared that if He went not away, it would not come, but that if He went away, He would send it. It was a representation of Himself, and after He was glorified it was manifest.” {ST, May 17, 1899 par. 3}

“At the Saviour’s baptism, Satan was among the witnesses. He saw the Father’s glory overshadowing His Son. He heard the voice of Jehovah testifying to the divinity of Jesus. Ever since Adam’s sin, the human race had been cut off from direct communion with God; the intercourse between heaven and earth had been through Christ; BUT NOW THAT JESUS HAD COME “in the likeness of sinful flesh” (Romans 8:3), THE FATHER HIMSELF SPOKE. HE HAD BEFORE COMMUNICATED WITH HUMANITY –>THROUGH<– CHRIST; NOW HE COMMUNICATED WITH HUMANITY –>IN<– CHRIST. Satan had hoped that God’s abhorrence of evil would bring an eternal separation between heaven and earth. But now it was manifest that the connection between God and man had been restored.” {DA 116.2}

We can see therefore that after Christ’s ascension, there was a way prepared whereby the Spirit was to be poured out “in its fullness” and “with all its efficacy” unlike the ancient times.

“Where are you standing, brethren and sisters? Do you take hold of the death of Christ by faith and make it your salvation? Then we have made a new beginning and all our past life is as though it had not been. It is God’s life we are to live. God wants us to keep walking right along with Him. When we receive Him we are made free and sin no more. Why do we sin? We do not understand God’s sufficiency. He will reveal Himself in our hearts. We have had in our Sabbath school lessons that WHEN WE CONFESS THAT JESUS CHRIST IS COME IN THE FLESH, WE ARE TO CONFESS THAT HE HAS COME IN OUR FLESH. We have laid aside our own sins and we are living to the glory of God.” – EGW {Ms15-1894.23}

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In his book, “The Great Second Advent Movement”, J. N. Loughborough writes,

““Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets have gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: and every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.” {GSAM 302.4}

“Note carefully the foregoing scripture. It does not say that whosoever confesseth that Jesus Christ “did come in the flesh,” “but is come in the flesh;” that is, that he comes, by his Spirit, and dwells in us, in response to our faith. This, in fact, is the central truth of the gospel, “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” {GSAM 303.1}

“The practical theme found in all the writings of Mrs. White is the necessity of Christ as an indwelling Saviour if we would make any advancement in the heavenly way.” {GSAM 303.2}

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E. J. Waggoner on “Jesus Christ is come in the flesh.”

E. J. Waggoner
The Present Truth | May 18, 1893; Excerpt from: “A Present Salvation.”

“So it is that “every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God” (1 John 4:2, 3). Note again the present tense. It is not enough to confess that Jesus Christ did come in the flesh; that will bring no salvation to anybody. We must confess, from positive knowledge that Jesus is just now come in the flesh, and then we are of God. Christ came in the flesh eighteen hundred years ago, just for the purpose of demonstrating the possibility. THAT WHICH HE DID ONCE, HE IS ABLE TO DO IT AGAIN. HE WHO DENIES THE POSSIBILITY OF HIS COMING IN THE FLESH OF MEN NOW, THEREBY DENIES THE POSSIBILITY OF HIS HAVING EVER COME IN THE FLESH.

“So our part is with humbleness of mind to confess that we are sinners; that in us is no good thing. If we do not, then the truth is not in us; but if we do, then Christ, who came into the world for the express purpose of saving sinners, WILL COME AND TAKE UP HIS ABODE WITHIN US, AND THEN THE TRUTH WILL INDEED BE IN US. Then there will be perfection manifested in the midst of imperfection. There will be completeness in the midst of weakness. We “are complete in Him” (Col. 2:10). He has created all things BY THE WORD OF HIS POWER, and therefore can take men who are but nothing, and can make them “to the praise of the glory of His grace” (Eph. 1:6). “For of Him, and through Him, and to Him are all things, to whom be the glory forever. Amen” (Rom. 11:36).

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A. T. Jones

“Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh, that is the Spirit of God. Every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come,— not that he did’ come, but now is come in my flesh,— Christ in you the hope of glory, Christ abiding within, God reigning in the kingdom of God that is within you, — that is what this signifies. Every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God. And this is that spirit of antichrist. And ye have overcome them, little children, because greater is he that is in you, in you, in you, than he that is in the world. Who is it that is in the world? Oh, it is the god of this world ; it is Satan. Greater is he — Christ — that is in you, than he that is in the world. – General Conference Bulletin, February 15, 1895, Extra, No. 4

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Milton C. Wilcox on “Jesus Christ is come in the flesh.”

Milton C. Wilcox
Questions and Answers Vol. 1, pg. 23, 24; Pacific Press 1911

19. Jesus Christ Is Come in the Flesh, 1 John 4: 2

Please give me your opinion on “Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God.” i John. 4:2.

The thought of that text is not that sometime Christ lived here upon this earth ; that He walked here as a man ; that He was invested in human flesh, and tabernacled among us sometime. There are those who believe that, many of them, who are not children of God. THE REAL THOUGHT IS THAT CHRIST IS COME BY FAITH IN OUR FLESH NOW. THAT IS, IF YOU ARE A TRUE BELIEVER IN CHRIST, YOU BELIEVE THAT CHRIST LIVES IN YOU BY FAITH. As expressed by the apostle Paul, “I am crucified with Christ : nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me : and :the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved Me, and gave Himself for me.” Gal. 2 : 20. That faith in Christ takes hold upon Him as a complete Saviour. It does away with all the mediatorial work of priest or saint, and brings the soul into living connection with the Lord Jesus Christ. Some claim that Christ is in them; has always been in them; that He dwells in every one, and that faith is but the recognition of that thing; but this is not the teaching of God’s Word. He who is not a Christian is said to be “separate from Christ” and “without God.” Eph. 2 : 12. They are “alienated from the life of God.” Eph. 4: 18. Faith makes the connecting link between the soul and its Saviour, and brings the life and power of Christ into the heart and life of the believer. If our querist will study the subject in this light, she will see that only truly converted Christians are those who believe that Christ is come in the flesh, in His own way, responsive to faith. This also is shown in the context, “Greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world.” i John 4:4.

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W. W. Prescott

“Let us enter into the experience that God has given Jesus Christ to us to dwell in our sinful flesh, to work out in our sinful flesh what He worked out when He was here. He came and lived here that we might through Him reflect the image of God. This is the very heart of Christianity. Anything contrary to it is not Christianity. “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God; and every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God.” 1 John 4:1-3. Now that cannot mean simply to acknowledge that Jesus Christ was here and lived in the flesh. The devils made that acknowledgment. They knew that Christ had come in the flesh. The faith that comes by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus Christ is come in my flesh; He dwells in my flesh; I have received Him.” That is the heart and life of Christianity. {BEST January 13, 1896, p. 13.1}

“The difficulty with the Christianity of today is that Christ does not dwell in the hearts of those professing His name. He is an outsider, one looked at from afar, as an example. But He is more than an example to us. He made known to us what God’s ideal of humanity is, and then He came and lived it out before us, that we might see what it is to be in the image of God. Then He died, and ascended to His Father, sending forth His Spirit, His own representative, to live in us, that the life which He lived in the flesh we may live over again. This is Christianity. {BEST January 13, 1896, p. 13.2}

CHRIST MUST DWELL IN THE HEART

“It is not enough to talk of Christ and of the beauty of His character. Christianity without Christ dwelling in the heart is not genuine Christianity. He only is a genuine Christian who has Christ dwelling in his heart, and we can live the life of Christ only by having Him dwelling in us. He wants us to lay hold upon the life and power of Christianity. Do not be satisfied with anything else. Heed no one who would lead you in any other path. “Christ in you, the hope of glory,” His power, His indwelling presence, that is Christianity. That is what we need to-day; and I am thankful that there are hearts that are longing for that experience, and who will recognise it when it comes. It does not make any difference what your name or denomination has been. Recognise Jesus Christ, and let Him dwell in you. By following where He leads, we shall know what Christian experience is, and what it is to dwell in the light of His presence. I tell you this is a wondrous truth. Human language cannot put more into human thought or language than is said in these words: “The Word became flesh, and dwelt among us.” This is our salvation.” {BEST January 13, 1896, p. 13.3}

“Hereby know ye the Spirit of God. Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus is come in the flesh is of God.” Now it is not every one who confesseth that Jesus Christ did come in the flesh, but every one who confesseth, who is confessing, that Jesus Christ is come in his own flesh. But you say, It cannot mean that. We will stop a moment. Every spirit that does that is of God. Now when Jesus Christ was here in the flesh, every time the devils met him, they recognized him as Jesus Christ in the flesh. They said, “We know thee who thou art, the holy one of God.” Were they of God? Does it meet this idea to say every one that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come, that he did come? The devils confessed that very thing, and that is the very kind of faith that is being pushed upon the people now. The devils believe and tremble, but they do not believe unto righteousness, and believing unto righteousness is the gospel, — is Christ in you the hope of glory, — and every one that is confessing that Christ is come in the flesh is the one that is confessing that Jesus Christ is in him the hope of glory. That spirit is of God. Every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God, and it is that spirit of antichrist, and it does not make any difference where you meet it, nor when you meet it. Every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is an opposer; he is antichrist and is of the spirit that opposes, and it is the very essence of antichrist to deny that fact which is the basis, in the first place, the general basis of Christianity, and in the second place is the life and the all and in all of every individual’s Christianity, and that is that Christ is come in his own flesh, and that Jesus Christ is in him the hope of glory. {GCB February 6, 1895, p. 27.4}

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Mystery of Godliness

The apostle Paul says,

“Great is the mystery of godliness;” then he explains the term by saying, “God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.” I Tim. 3: i6.

“God was manifest in the flesh” was the mystery that was never revealed until Christ came as a babe in the manger at Bethany. It is the gospel of Jesus Christ, and the result of mankind receiving it.

“Because of sin, humanity ceased to be a temple for God. Darkened and defiled by evil, the heart of man no longer revealed the glory of the Divine One. BUT BY THE INCARNATION OF THE SON OF GOD, the purpose of Heaven is fulfilled. GOD DWELLS IN HUMANITY, and through saving grace the HEART OF MAN BECOMES AGAIN HIS TEMPLE.” — DA 161.1

But John says,

“The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” John I: 14.

Therefore Christ’s life on earth was simply the Word of God dressed up in humanity. In other words, Christ’s life was very embodiment of the Word of God lived out in humanity (John I : I, 2). Thus, the great mystery is really the Word of God manifesting in the flesh! This mystery was manifested by our Lord Jesus Christ but the same mystery can be manifested when we receive the Word of God into the heart and have it be lived out in the life of a believer.

“Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, fully to preach the word of God; even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but is now made manifest to His saints: to whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you the hope of glory.” Col. I : 25-27

The key that unlocks the mystery of salvation, is to accept the words of God as if spoken to us personally; when we walk out by faith on the promises of God, we are walking with God, His abiding presence is with us.

IT IS THROUGH THE WORD THAT CHRIST ABIDES IN HIS FOLLOWERS. This is the same vital union that is represented by eating His flesh and drinking His blood. The words of Christ are spirit and life. Receiving them, you receive the life of the Vine. You live “by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” Matthew 4:4. The life of Christ in you produces the same fruits as in Him. Living in Christ, adhering to Christ, supported by Christ, drawing nourishment from Christ, you bear fruit after the similitude of Christ.” {DA 677.1}

“The union of the divine and the human, manifest in Christ, exists also in the Bible. The truths revealed are all `given by inspiration of God’ ; yet they are expressed in the words of men, and are adapted to human needs. Thus it may be said of the Book of God, as it was of Christ, that ‘the word was made flesh, and dwelt among us.’ And this fact, so far from being an argument against the Bible, should strengthen faith in it as the word of God.”—Testimony for the Church, Vol. V, p. 747.

How does this relate to the doctrine of Trinity?

In 1 John 4:1, we are told to “try the spirits”. But how do we try the spirits? Well, John gives us instructions as to HOW in the very next passages that follow-“Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:³ And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist,”

Moreover, we are told to examine ourselves:

Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, HOW THAT JESUS CHRIST IS IN YOU, except ye be reprobates?” – 2Corinthians 13:5

And who are the reprobates?

“Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.” –2 Timothy 3:8

The doctrine of the Trinity, despite the volumes of inspired testimonies affirming that Christ dwells in us by HIs Spirit, asserts that it is not truly Christ Himself, but rather a completely separate individual at work. According to this belief, the incarnate Jesus, having taken on humanity, has permanently given up His omnipresence and is confined to heaven until His second coming. As a result, His mediatorial work on earth is now believed to be carried out by another distinct divine being referred to as “God the Holy Spirit,” who is seen as Christ’s “successor” and “representative” on earth. This view ultimately denies that Christ is present in our flesh. As 2 John 7 warns, “For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.” Bible describes them as reprobates-those who resist the truth.