Peter SmytheA Different Kind of Word Preacher

part from the current mumblings about fancy homes, planes, and tithes, the foremost criticism against the “Word of Faith” teachings centers on the doctrine that Jesus was literally made sin and thereafter made righteous or “born-again” on the third day. Here is a GodTube video of Kenneth Copeland that is used on a lot of ministry sites as the basis for this so-called blasphemous heresy.

The heresy hunters (if I may call them that) shout across the land that this teaching is patently unscriptural because it denies the sacrifice of the cross and the efficacy of the blood. As I’ve demonstrated both in various articles and podcasts, the fact that Jesus literally became sin on the cross doesn’t do anything of the sort. In fact, the teaching that Jesus did, indeed, die apart from God (read my Hebrews 2.9 posts) and suffered in hades for three days only enhances the depth of his mission to save mankind and the importance of his blood upon the heavenly mercy seat. If you have not read them, I suggest that you read the following articles and listen to the following podcasts for background material for this Jesus Born-Again series:

• 2 Corinthians 5.21 - Literal Word as Blasphemy (whole series on the verse)
• Not Abandoned in Hell (whole series on the verse)
• Podcast: The Resurrection and the Blood Intro (podcast series)
• Romans 6.9 - Jesus and the Lordship of Death
• Luke 23.46 - Jesus’s Geronimo - Part 1 (whole series on the verse)
• Ephesians 4.9 - Where’d He Get Those Keys (featuring our resident theologian)
• It is Finished: Precursor to Hell
• Matthew 12.40 - In the Belly of Hell (whole series on the verse)
• Psalm 69: Who’s Really Praying Here?
• Psalm 40: No Self-Help Here
• The Resurrection and the Blood (essay series)

These podcasts and essays demonstrate the scriptural basis that redemption was not totally accomplished on Good Friday at the cross, but rather on Easter in heaven (though, of course, the cross was absolutely necessary for redemption).

Even in the face of all of this scriptural proof, as seen in the mighty internet, there are those who adamantly state that the idea of a “born-again” Jesus cannot be found anywhere in scripture. The question is: Is what Kenneth Copeland preaches in this little GodTube video the real deal? Can the fact (not just theological theory) that Jesus “became” righteous be demonstrated in scripture in the same manner that he “became” sin or is Copeland propagating false doctrine not found anywhere in the Book?

Why Is It Important Anyway?

Over the course of time, in emails and conversations I’ve had a few folks say, “Peter, we know that Jesus died for us so we don’t believe it’s really all that important whether Jesus did or didn’t actually become sin and go to hell. We don’t see where that’s all that important.”

The Word instructs us:

Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith … (Colossians 2.7, NASB)

One cannot be “rooted and established in Him” if he doesn’t know or understand the facts of Jesus’s mission to redeem mankind. Paul wrote his letters so that we would know and understand his own intelligence into the mystery of Christ (Ephesians 3.4). His letters say much more than our modern ready-made phrase of “Jesus died for you.”

The Man Jesus Christ

In Copeland’s video, he emphasizes Jesus’s manhood or humanity - a born-again “man,” he says. Since the Arian controversy of 325 A.D.(or so), the church has gone overboard to emphasize the “God” part of the God-man to the exclusion of Jesus’s humanity (aside from footnotes in sermons). Modern preaching puts Jesus on a pedestal of wonderment and amazement and violently reacts to virtually any teachings that examine the facts of his identification with us.

The genius of the mystery of Christ, however, is that Jesus fully identified with fallen mankind in every way, shape, and form in order to redeem him; a redemption that takes man from the pit of hell (hades) and the second death all the way up to the right hand of the Majesty on High.

To fulfill his mission to “give us life” he emptied (in the Greek it’s totally emptied) himself of his preincarnate glory:

who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. (Philippians 2.9, NASB)

So when he entered this world, he entered as a man:

And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1.14, NASB) (emphasis supplied)

And when he died, he died as a man (a man apart from God):

Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. (Acts 4.10, NASB)

And when he was resurrected, he was resurrected as a man:

But they were startled and frightened and through that they were seeing a spirit (God is a spirit - John 4.24). And He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? See My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself; touch Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” (Luke 24.37-39, NASB)

Consequently, when Copeland says that “Jesus is the first man to be born-again,” he is speaking from the man-side of Jesus’s incarnation which is fully consistent with scripture.

For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus - (1 Timothy 2.5, NASB)

Here in Timothy we see Paul emphasizing Jesus’s humanity for the very reason that Jesus’s identification with man qualified him to become the mediator between God and man.

Only when we see that Jesus became as we were to the end that we might become as he now is can we truly understand the ascension scriptures.