Monday, October 25, 2010

Docetism

Docetism~~~~~ anyone know what that word means??? No, give up??
I thought it was an interesting word and worth sharing.
 In Christianity, docetism (from the Greek δοκέω [dokeō], "to seem") is the belief that Jesus' physical body was an illusion, as was his crucifixion; that is, Jesus only seemed to have a physical body and to physically die, but in reality he was incorporeal, a pure spirit, and hence could not physically die. This belief treats the sentence "the Word was made Flesh" (John 1:14) as merely figurative. Docetism has historically been regarded as heretical by most Christian theologians.
I don't think I like that word much or what it implies about my Jesus. 

OK here's another one or two for you, how about peccability and impeccability????
Give up again?? OK, its really a reference to the question could Jesus have sinned or not?
In my search for the answer I found the below explanation.

 Those who hold to “impeccability” believe that Jesus could not have sinned. Those who hold to “peccability” believe that Jesus could have sinned, but did not. Which view is correct? The clear teaching of Scripture is that Jesus was impeccable—Jesus could not have sinned. If He could have sinned, He would still be able to sin today because He retains the same essence He did while living on earth. He is the God-Man and will forever remain so, having full deity and full humanity so united in one person as to be indivisible. To believe that Jesus could sin is to believe that God could sin. “For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him” (Colossians 1:19). Colossians 2:9 adds, “For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form.”
Although Jesus is fully human, He was not born with the same sinful nature that we are born with. He certainly was tempted in the same way we are, in that temptations were put before Him by Satan, yet He remained sinless because God is incapable of sinning. It is against His very nature (Matthew 4:1; Hebrews 2:18, 4:15; James 1:13). Sin is by definition a trespass of the Law. God created the Law, and the Law is by nature what God would or would not do; therefore, sin is anything that God would not do by His very nature.

This is only part of the explanation I found but is also an example of the deep Bible teaching that we are getting into on Tuesday morning.  Do any of you have some interesting words or Bible study wisdom to share. I love the fact that while learning so much about the history of the Bible teachings I am also being filled with the desire to gain a closer intimate relationship with my Lord. He just keep filling me with more of Him each week, but I have to continue to seek His wisdom by delving into His word. 











5 comments:

Mari said...

Wow - you are really straining my brain today! The only word that I already knew was impeccable. Thanks for the education tonight!

Susan said...

I did not know any of these words, Nancy. Thanks for sharing all you are learning with us, so we, too, can learn more about our precious Lord.

Connie said...

Interesting - thanks for sharing.

Shelly said...

Very informative post! Thanks for sharing my dear friend!

Fitter After 50 said...

Interesting words indeed! How sad to think that Jesus could have sinned? Of course He didn't but I feel sorry for those who think He could.