DID JESUS DO HIS MIRACLES AS GOD?

I have been busy lately with the question of Christ's nature. I want to take a moment to deal with a very hot topic right now on the nature of Christ. This important theological question is usually expressed like this, "Did Jesus do His miracles as God?" The overwhelming answer to that question is YES! Jesus did EVERYTHING as God, because He is eternally God. That means He has done, did, and will do everything as God. During His time on earth; from the point of His incarnation, He did things as a man and as God concurrently. That is the meaning of his indivisible nature. He cannot not be God and He cannot not be man. He is both. Of course, He was limited in his manhood. For instance, He could not be everywhere at one time (Omnipresence) and seemed to be limited in his knowledge (Omniscience), which are both characteristics of God. So, He certainly limited himself because of His manhood. But those limits did not mean He had "laid aside His divinity," or was in some other form rather than God, but rather He remained God as the Chalcedon Fathers defined "Truly God and Truly Man...acknowledged in two natures, inconfusedly, unchangeably, indivisibly, inseparably;"

This theological perspective is often called the "Kenosis Theory" (from the greek word in Phil. 2:7 "κενόω" which is pronounced ken-o’-o). This view was promoted by Word of Faith teachers such as Kenneth Copeland, and Kenneth Hagin. These Word of Faith, and now New Apostolic Reformation leaders posit that Jesus laid aside his divinity and did all his miracles as a man in complete reliance on His Father. A very strong argument against this view is the Immutability of God (i.e. that God does not change). According to this deeply Christian theology, God cannot change. Therefore, Jesus the son of God, cannot change. "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever (Hebrews 13:8)." He is eternally God, and thus cannot be anything other than God, not even for a moment (i.e. He cannot stop being God). So either Jesus did everything as God or He did nothing as God. In other words either Jesus was, is, and ever will be God, or He is nothing and only was a man for 33 years and nothing more. However we know that this cannot be, for we know that the Universal Church of Jesus Christ has always worshipped him as the eternal second person of the Godhead, and to say anything otherwise is to stand outside of Orthodox Christian Theology. 

Thankfully, the Australia Gospel Coalition Article, and a new movie from Transition Studios

called "American Gospel: Christ Alone" have brought our attention to, among other things, Bethel Church in Redding, CA and their Pastor and Apostle Bill Johnson. These recent resources have brought the Evangelical world to the awareness of Bethel and Bill Johnson. The Article from Gospel Coalition and this new movie featuring many well known and respected names in the evangelical movement, such as Nabeel Qureshi, Trevin Wax, Mark Dever, Matt Chandler, Justin Peters, Ray Comfort, Kevin DeYoung, Jackie Hill-Perry, J.D. Greear, Southeastern Theological Seminary, John MaCarthur, Westminster Seminary (California), Michael Horton, Bryan Chapell, Paul Washer, Costi Hinn (Benny Hinn’s Nephew), Anthony Wood (Author of Defining Deception), and Chris Rosebrough (Fighting for the Faith) are brilliant and so well done. They present the deep truths of the gospel and troubling theology found in these movements. As a result of all these pastors, theologians, and many Evangelical leaders bringing awareness to the precarious theological tendencies in the New Apostolic Reformation, much attention has been given to this movement, and especially the more recent event "Awakening Australia" at which Bill Johnson spoke and reiterated his tenuous "Kenosis Theology" that Kenneth Copeland most notoriously espoused. I am so glad that the Evangelical movement, in these new offerings, has finally awakened to this incredibly dangerous movement called the New Apostolic Reformation. The NAR was originally made famous by Apostle and leader of the movement C. Peter Wagner. 

In his talk at the Awakening Australia Event, Johnson reiterated his perilous view of Jesus that He did not do His miracles as God...CHECK OUT VIDEO BELOW AND NOTICE that Bill Johnson does NOT teach the same Christ of the Bible, The Early Church Fathers, or Orthodox Christianity. For more on Johnson's Christology check out my book "Divergent Theology" The text to Johnson's talk is added below...

Here are Bill Johnson remarks from the video below. He was speaking at "Awakening Australia" I will let his words speak for themselves. He seems to clearly be teaching that Jesus did NOT do His miracles as God. What do you think?

"I realize that Jesus is eternally God and I am not. But He obeyed the Father to illustrate for us what could be accomplished by any human being that was forgiven of sin and was empowered by the Holy Spirit. If Jesus did his miracles as God I am still impressed, but I am a spectator. But when I discover what Jesus said in John 5 and John 8; He said, “The Son of Man can do nothing of Himself.” Does this make sense to you? He actually emptied Himself so completely that he could no longer function and do the things that he was assigned to do. This is huge. If he did his miracles as God, I stand back and applaud, but the Old Testament demonstrated the miracles of God. In the New Testament we find out that miracles that take place when one yielded person (Jesus) surrenders to the heart of the Father and only does what He does, and says what He is saying. Jesus modeled a new lifestyle. One that I may spend my entire life mimicking, and never fully express, But I have no right to change my assignment. I don’t have the right to change what I was born to do. The fact that I try, and fail at prophesying, or praying for the sick, raising the dead, or whatever it might be gives me no right to change the assignment. He was very clear, heal the sick, raise the dead, cast out devils, cleanse lepers (scattered Applause)."

I know this is a Christmas Carol, but it has such a good application to Christology. Charles Wesley seemed to have a wonderfully deep and strong Christology. Hark the Herald Angels Sing can point us to the true Glory of the Newborn King.


Hark! the herald angels sing: "Glory to the newborn King! Peace on earth and mercy mild God and sinners reconciled" Joyful, all ye nations rise Join the triumph of the skies With angelic hosts proclaim: "Christ is born in Bethlehem" Hark! the herald angels sing: "Glory to the newborn King!"

Christ by highest Heav'n adored Christ the everlasting Lord! Late in time behold Him come Offspring of a Virgin's womb Veiled in flesh the Godhead see; Hail the incarnate Deity Pleased as man with man to dwell Jesus, our Emmanuel Hark! the herald angels sing: "Glory to the newborn King!"

Hail the Heav'n-born Prince of Peace! Hail the Son of Righteousness! Light and life to all He brings Ris'n with healing in His wings Mild He lays His glory by Born that man no more may die Born to raise the sons of earth Born to give them second birth Hark! the herald angels sing: "Glory to the newborn King!"