God is a Spirit Harmonized with God the Son's Humanity

[Ed Walsh]

I am sure there is an easy answer but I could use some help here.

Last week as my family reviewed Shorter Catechism Q. 4. What is God, which answers in part, God is a Spirit, etc.; one of my sons asked if that answer fell short of the whole story since God the Son now and ever shall be God and man, and not a pure simple Spirit?

Consider the answer to Q. 21. Who is the Redeemer of God’s elect? Answer: ...the Lord Jesus Christ, who, being the eternal Son of God, became man, and so was, and continueth to be, God and man in two distinct natures, and one person, forever.

I wasn't sure how to answer.

 

[Cymro]

It is difficult to comprehend, but scripture does speak of the omnipresence of the divinity of Christ, such as in John 3:13.
Though He was speaking to Nicodemus in the flesh, yet He asserted He was still in heaven. “He that came down from heaven,even the son of man which is in heaven. His assuming human nature did not alter the omnipresent nature as Spirit.

 

[Ed Walsh]

His assuming human nature did not alter the omnipresent nature as Spirit.

Thanks, Jeff for trying to help, but this I never doubted for a moment. I want to understand, if possible, whether there is some additional language that could be added to the statement that God is a simple Spirit, WCF II. Ssection I, God who is "a most pure spirit, invisible, without body, parts, or passions;"

Is the glorified Christ, the whole of Christ, body, and Spirit the Second Person of the Trinity? Christ now has what Paul calls a Spiritual body (1 Cor. 15:44), but none the less a true body. Is there some precising language that takes this "addition" into consideration?

[Everyone, please note that I placed "addition" in quotes and italics. I want to be careful even asking such a question]

 

[py3ak]

That's a good question from your son. The answer, however, is no, because the assumption of the human nature into personal union with God the Son was not an addition to the divine nature. Q.4 is speaking about the essence of God, and about what is common to the Three Persons, and on that topic it remains true, after the Incarnation as much as before, that God is a Spirit, etc. The Father and the Holy Spirit are not human now, although the Son is.

Of course, the addition of humanity to divinity made no change in the Son's divinity either. He becomes something new, while fully retaining and remaining what he was. If it were not so, either one or both of the natures would have to cease to be truly what it is.

 

[Ask Mr. Religion]

No indeed.

"Christ is both God and man, and therefore whatever can be said of the one nature cannot be said of the other nature, and whatever can be said of the Person, cannot be said of both natures."​

The Christian's Reasonable Service, Wilhelmus à Brakel, vol. 1, pg. 641

 

[jwithnell]

These questions when studying the catachism are among the greatest benefits. You understand a topic until one of your kids nail you with a question like this!